The Null City
by zoogirl3715
Summary: Ever wondered what Kevin went through in the Null Void. The friends he met. The enemies he acquired. The pain he experienced. Let the story be told.
1. Ch 1: City of Second Chances

**Now I have decided to start another story. This time I'm going with a Ben 10 Fanfic. Now this story will not have either the characters of Ben or Gwen. It is all about Kevin, since he was my favorite character in the series and I feel as though they could've done so much more with his character in the show regarding before he joined back up with Ben and Gwen. Also I am not regarding anything from Ben 10 Omniverse because 1) I don't watch it and 2) Kevin is barely in it so there.**

**I do not own Ben 10 or any of the Character unless I make them up.**

_Chapter 1: City of Second Chances_

_-The battle fields of war is what true hell looks like. There are few who experience this hell and live to tell the tale. Those who do survive must bear with those memories for the rest of their lives. They remember the sounds and smells of the battle ground. They remember the faces that were there. Some faces that will never be seen again. But you can't stay in one place and dwell on the past. You have to press on, no matter what happens.-_

The Null Void. A separate dimension where the considered scum and criminals of the universe are locked away. Cut off from the eyes of the free public. The organization known as the Plumbers act as the intergalactic police for the more alien species that inhabit this space. However, alien life is not the only life that can be thrown into this prison. The humans of earth may also call this place home. Traitors of the Plumbers and prisoners of the Plumber's rival organization, the Forever Knights, are sentenced here for reasons of their own. However, for their supposed safety, they are kept away from the alien life forms. Locked away in their own specially made community where the Plumbers of Earth can watch them.

A small group of Plumber soldiers were gathered on a small island in a sector of the Void. They stood at attention as they guarded the handcuffed prisoners in the transport base. The captured were waiting to be boarded on the ship's that would take them to their next destination. Among the ranks of the Plumbers, a young lieutenant observed both the soldiers and prisoners. He would be accompanying them back to his base where they were taking the new prisoners. He looked about twenty-three in age, his brown hair was combed neatly back with only a few strands falling down his forehead. His dark brown eyes surveyed the entire area, looking upon each face of the captured men and women. He noted the ones that looked more deadpanned than the others. He let out a heavy sigh at them. Then, from behind him, he heard the deafening sound of a ship engines landing on the docking platform. He turned around to be greeted by the ship's captain as he stepped off the craft.

"Is everything ready for us back at the base?" the lieutenant asked.

"Yes sir," the captain replied with a salute, "They are expecting our arrival as we speak."

"Aright then," the lieutenant said with another heavy sigh. He then turned back to where the prisoners were watching the two. "Listen up!" he began in a commanding voice, "You will all enter the ship swiftly and accordingly. Your handcuffs will be removed as you enter. However, if you do try to resist we will not hesitate in restraining you again. Alright, move out!" he finished signaling the soldiers to begin the loading process. The lieutenant observed as one by one the prisoners were being led on the craft. A soldier removed their handcuffs at the entrance of the ship. Soon there were only a few more prisoners left. The lieutenant was ready to board when he heard someone calling him from behind.

"Lieutenant Grant!" an officer yelled behind him. Grant turned to face him. "Good you all haven't left yet," he said in relief.

"What is it officer? Is there a problem?" Grant asked.

"No sir, we just have another last minute prisoner for you," the officer replied.

"Where did this one come from?" Grant asked.

"He came from another small prison a little ways from here," the officer stated as he turned to see another Plumber soldier bringing the prisoner towards them.

Grant eyes went wide. It was a young boy, at least twelve years of age. He was handcuffed. He had long black hair with bangs that covered his eyes. He had a scrawny body with only small hint of developing muscles which showed he must have been fighting for at least a year in the Null Void. The soldier brought the boy in front of Grant. The boy kept his head lowered, but Grant could still see a small glimpse of his dark eyes. His heart sank at seeing how dead they looked.

"You got a name kid?" Grant questioned, leaning down a bit to talk to him. The boy didn't answer. He kept his gaze lowered at the ground. Grant's eyes softened a bit at the forlorn boy. He could tell there was some kind of pain in the boy's heart.

"The kid won't say anything. He hasn't said anything since we caught him," the officer stated.

"Well then what's his name?" Grant asked the officer, turning his head to look at him.

"Kevin Levin," the officer answered. Grant's eyes widened slightly at the name. Levin? He had definitely heard that name before.

"Why is this boy here in the Null Void?" Grant questioned further. He stood back up to face the officer.

"I don't know all the details sir," the officer began, "We do know the boy is half Osmosian. He was imprisoned at a containment center for alien life."

"Alien life? Why there?" Grant asked shocked.

"Apparently the boy was once some sort of monster when he was first detained. He reverted back to his normal appearance a short time ago and was scheduled to be transported over here earlier than this. However, there was a prison break and the boy escaped during that time. So it took a little longer to capture him and bring him here," the officer finished explaining. Grant nodded his head in understanding of the story. He turned his head slightly to glance down at the boy again. Kevin still had his head lowered.

"_Levin," _Grant thought as his eyes narrowed, _"I wonder if this is Devin's son. The one Gilliam mentioned."_

"You two are dismissed," Grant stated to the two officers, "I'll watch this one."

The two officers saluted him and walked away from them. Grant kneeled down to the boy and removed the handcuffs around his wrists. Kevin was surprised a little by the man's actions, but he remained silent. He finally looked up at the man, rubbing his wrist as he did. Grant smiled slightly.

"Listen, I don't know what exactly happened to you before you came here kid. I won't question you about it either," Grant stated comfortingly as he stood back up, "Just don't draw attention to yourself and I swear you'll be alright. Okay kid?"

Kevin didn't respond, but only gave a slight nod in understanding. Grant smiled down at him. He placed a hand on Kevin's shoulder and directed him towards the ship. Kevin didn't take two steps before he noticed that a man had bolted out of his position in line. The man screamed in rage as he tried to escape from the soldiers. However the soldiers were able to quickly tackle him to the ground and restrain him. Kevin watched the scene with wide eyes. His heart was beating faster with fear as he watched the soldiers punch the resisting man repeatedly to try and subdue him. A hand on his shoulder startled him. He looked behind his shoulder to meet Grant's gaze.

"Like I said kid, don't draw any attention to yourself," Grant stated to the boy. Kevin's body relaxed at his words. He gazed at the scene one more time before heading into the ship. As he entered he heard Grant's voice behind him commanding the soldiers to take the resister to private holding.

Kevin looked down the center aisle of the ship. He saw the other prisoners with bored expressions on their faces as they waited for departure.

"Sit there," Kevin heard Grant say. He looked back up at the man. Grant motioned towards the empty bench next him in the front row. Kevin let out a quiet sigh but obeyed and sat down. He leaned his head against the wall next to him and gazed out the small, circular window that was there.

"We're ready to depart. Tell the captain," Grant commanded the young soldier. The soldier nodded and exited the craft, closing the door behind him. Grant then took a seat on the bench next to Kevin. "You still won't talk to me, huh kid?" Grant said amusingly while side glancing at the boy. Kevin glanced back for only a second before returning his gaze to outside the window. Grant chuckled, "Suit yourself kid."

Suddenly the roar of the ship's engine picked up. The craft slowly hovered off of the ground. It wheels retracted and it turned to face the direction of the destination. Then the ship took off. It sped towards the final destination.

* * *

They had been traveling for at least an hour now. Kevin had watched the Null Void pass by his window the whole time. His gaze was focused. Not looking at anyone, not talking to anyone. His only focus was on what was to come for him. After an hour, he closed his eyes to try and fall asleep, but sleep never came. He closed his eyes and images of his past began flashing before him. Images of his life in the containment center. How he fought nearly every day to stay alive among the savage alien prisoners. He saw himself as the monster he once was. He remembered Kwarrel. The only who helped him through that time. Because of him, he was now human again. He was a dear friend. Then those images faded away and images of the breakout became clear. He saw the other prisoners fighting against the Plumber guards. He saw the image of him and Kwarrel running through one of the tunnels to escape while being pursued by the warden. He remembered Kwarrel telling him to go on ahead as he held the warden back. Then he heard it. The sound of a gunshot. Even a child knew what it meant. Kevin remembered the feeling of his heart sinking as the sound echoed in his ears.

"Kid. Kid. Wake up, were nearly there," Grant's voice called out. Kevin's eyes shot open. He surveyed his environment and quickly remembered where he was. In Plumber custody, on his way to some unknown destination. Kevin looked back out the window. His eyes narrowed at what he saw. Outside was a large metal dome atop of a large island. Whatever was inside was completely cut off from the Null Void and any other world for that matter.

"Welcome to the Null City kid," Grant said in a monotone voice. Kevin's eyes went wide with awe. There was an entire city in there! It seemed plausible. The dome itself was indeed large enough to hold a city as large as New York, maybe even more than that.

The craft circled the dome until it came upon a landing dock. The ship lowered itself slowly onto the platform. As soon as it landed, its wings retracted and the bottom of the ship was clasped onto a track underneath. The tracks turned the ship towards a large opening in the dome. The tracks moved the ship like it was a small train. It entered the dome and the entrance closed behind them. Kevin was in even more awe as they entered. Though he knew the dome was purely metal on the outside, on the inside it looked as though he was back on Earth. There was a slightly cloudy sky above them that was completely identical to the real thing.

"Looks like they're going to make it rain today," Grant joked as he shot a glimpse outside. Kevin wasn't listening to him. He continued his gaze outside. The ship soon came to a stop at loading dock that resembled a train station.

"Kid, listen," Grant said in a whisper while looking down at the floor. This time Kevin's attention was turned to the lieutenant. "When we get off this ship, there is going to be a lot of soldiers watching the prisoners," he began to explain. Then a smirk formed on his face, "However, I doubt that they'll notice one kid disappearing. Especially near the eastern gate, where there aren't many guards," Grant finished then stood up.

Kevin was confused at first, but it soon turned realization. He didn't understand why this man was telling him this, but he didn't question it. Nothing about the man indicated that he was a threat to him. Kevin decided it would be okay to listen to his advice. He waited till the adults on the ship got off and followed at the end of the line. Once he was outside, he looked around and saw multitudes of both plumbers and prisoners entering and exiting other ships that resembled his. He looked to his side and saw that Lt. Grant was the one guarding the door. Grant wasn't looking at the boy. Kevin saw this as the signal to go now. He thought of first thanking the man, but decided not to. Carefully he made his way past, heading towards the eastern gate he was told about, making sure that no other soldier would see him. He was a few feet away when he looked back. He saw that Grant was looking at him. Kevin intensely gazed back and Grant turned away from him.

"Thank you," Kevin whispered quietly to himself. He then continued towards his destination, swiftly and carefully making his way through the crowds. Meanwhile, Grant was approached by a higher ranking general.

"Are all the new prisoners present and accounted for lieutenant?" the general asked.

"Yes general, this is all of them," Grant replied with a salute, "I'll leave them to you now."

"You're not accompanying us?" the general questioned as Grant began to walk away.

"Sorry sir, but something important has come up with a friend of mine. I need to pay him a visit," Grant explained. He gave the general one last wave before continuing on his way.

* * *

Kevin had successfully made his way through the crowds of the terminal and had nearly made it to the eastern gates. That lieutenant was right. The only guards he could see were the two that were guarding the entrance. However, there was a portion of the concrete wall in which the guards wouldn't be able to see him. Swiftly, he raced towards the wall, ducking into decorative bushes to avoid detection. He successful made it to the wall. He was panting heavily and had his back pressed firmly against the hard concrete. He then looked up the 50 ft. high wall itself. It was simple enough for him to scale. He pressed his hand against the cold surface. He concentrated hard and his body was soon covered in a grey concrete armor that matched the wall. He turned his fingertips into stone claws and dug them into the wall. Slowly he began to climb up the wall. He was careful not to make a sound and luckily his body blended perfectly into the wall so that he couldn't be seen.

After a long, tedious climb, he finally reached the top. He lifted and propped himself atop the wall. He took a moment to catch his breath and take in his surroundings. He eyes fell upon the large Plumber base a ways behind him. The building was huge and towered over everything else. Kevin sneered at the building before turning away from it.

"Now what?" Kevin asked himself. He then looked to his right and saw a tall building a good few feet away from his position. The building wasn't as tall as the wall he was sitting on, but it was tall enough that if he could successful land on it he wouldn't get hurt. Kevin braced himself and took in one large breath before leaping off the wall. He reached out for the edge of the building as he fell. With his stone claws he grasped the side of the building. His eyes were clenched shut as he grabbed it. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was safe.

"Okay, now for the hard part," he said as he looked to the ground below. Then he felt his grasp on the edge beginning to slip. "Shit!" he exclaimed. Then his grip failed and he fell to the ground, landing with a large painful crash. With a groan he got up and his armor shell depleted, returning him to normal. Thank god for his armor. It had prevented him from getting even more hurt.

"Well I guess that way works too," he said while rubbing the back of his head.

The next half hour was spent just wandering the streets of the city. _"Is this really a prison?"_ Kevin questioned himself as he walked through the street. He was shocked to see that it truly resembled any regular city back on Earth. The streets were lined with various shops and restaurants. There were numerous apartment buildings and condos that housed families and singles alike. Cars, bikes, and buses passed him by, filled with even more residents of this large community. There were even a few people walking the streets with him or sitting at various benches and bus stops.

Kevin didn't know what to think of all this. It had been so long since he had been in this type of environment. It reminded him of his days living on the streets of New York. He then heard a low rumbling. He looked up towards the sky. A small drop of rain fell on his nose and he saw that the simulated clouds overhead definitely indicated rain.

"Heh, looks like that guy was right," Kevin said aloud with a smirk. It wasn't long before the sky opened up and rain poured down onto the streets. Around him, civilians ran to get out from under the rain as it fell. Kevin didn't care, he allowed himself to be soaked to the bone. The rain felt and looked real to everyone else, but Kevin knew it wasn't. It wasn't the real rain that was on Earth. It was simply another illusion created by the Plumbers that ran this place.

He continued to walk through the streets as the rain now pelted his skin. He knew he had to find some kind of shelter soon. He looked around and saw what looked like a scrapyard. He decided there might be something in there that would be a sufficient shelter, at least for him. He walked through the open gate of the chain link fence that surrounded the yard. He looked around at the various pieces and discarded metal and broken down cars. He stopped walking a few feet from the entrance. He couldn't help but feel like he was being watched.

"What do we have here?" a cocky male voice said to Kevin's left. Kevin looked to his left and saw an older looking teen smirking at him. He reminded Kevin of the punks he used to face back in New York. He also noticed the teen was holding a metal pipe like a weapon. Kevin's eyes narrowed at this, but he remained unmoving. He then saw about five or six other guys, assumingly the members of the first guy's gang, surrounding him from behind.

"I don't want any trouble," Kevin stated calmly, "I'll just leave."

"You think we just let damn brats like you enter our spot and then let you walk out just like that?" the leader stated darkly holding up weapon-like pipe. His gang members laughed as well. Kevin let out an amused huff, much to the annoyance of the gang leader

"You really don't want to pick a fight with me today," Kevin stated with a smirk and raised brow. The leader was taken aback by the twelve-year old's unshaken confidence. It almost scared him, but he wasn't about to show it.

"You little punk! I'll teach you some respect!" the leader shouted at him. He then raced towards Kevin, holding his metal pipe up, ready to strike him down. The pipe was only a few inches away from colliding with his skull when, to much of the teen's surprise, Kevin stopped it by grabbing it tightly.

"What the hell!" the teen shouted in surprise.

"Like I said, you really don't want to pick a fight with me," Kevin stated angrily as he glared fiercely at the teen. Kevin was then absorbing the metal of the pipe in his grasp. The gang leader's eyes widened in horror as he witnessed the boy's body being covered by the metallic material. Kevin then took his metal fist and collided it with the teen's jaw. The blow knocked the teen back away and into a nearby old, rusty car. He was instantly out cold.

"Who'd like to try next?" Kevin said turning to the rest of the gang. The others were horrified at what they just witnessed. No one had ever knocked out their leader like that. Especially not with just one punch. Especially not some young kid.

"G…get him!" one cried out. Then all of them together rushed towards the young Osmosian.

* * *

"I'm glad you were able to come out for this, Gilliam," Lt. Grant stated to his friend. Gilliam nodded in response as he drove through the pouring rain. His steely eyes remained focused on the road ahead as the rain pelted his car's wind shield.

"Normally I would ignore calls from you this late," Gilliam began, "However, when you mentioned Devin Levin's son, I guess you got my hopes up." Gilliam was a man well into his late thirties. His physique was that of a strong fighter. He had a handsome and intelligent look to him. His dark brown hair was laid back and spiked slightly in the back. He also wore a trimmed goatee on his chin that stopped at the edges of his mouth. His obsidian eyes looked intense and were full of much wisdom from years of experience.

"I know that you and Devin were good friends back in the day. I also remember you telling me that he told you he had a son. When this boy, Kevin, was brought to me, I figured that I had to tell you," Grant told his friend. Grant had known Gilliam ever since he was stationed at the Null City base. When he had first met him, Grant instantly saw an intelligent and strong leader before him. They became fast friends. Even though Gilliam was no longer an official Plumber, Gilliam would give Grant important information about the event of the city and in exchange, Grant would report on anything strange within the Plumbers themselves.

"Yes well, let's just focus on finding the kid," Gilliam stated, "Are you sure he went this way?"

"He listened to me when I told him to head toward the eastern gate," Grant replied, "Given that; I assumed that he went this way."

"You assumed," Gilliam said with a slight chuckle, "That really doesn't fill me with much confi…" Gilliam stopped mid-sentence and stopped the car.

"What is it?" Grant asked as Gilliam exited the vehicle. Grant exited as well, "Gilliam what…what the hell?!" Grant soon saw what Gilliam had seen. The two had stopped at a scrapyard. Inside the gates, there were about seven guys who lay unconscious on the ground.

"What the hell do you think happened here?" Grant questioned. He and Gilliam walked into the center of the scrapyard. They began investigating the scene around them.

"Looks like there was a brawl…and an apparent winner," Gilliam said humorously as he looked over the unconscious bodies. Grant walked over to an old, dented car where he saw a pair of legs dangling out the side. He grabbed the body and dragged it out onto the ground to get a better look at him.

"Hey I know this guy," Grant yelled over to his friend, "We've been getting calls about him and his group of thugs that have been vandalizing this section of town for a while now. I'll have to report them in now," Grant finished pulling out his Plumber badge to contact some officers. Gilliam wasn't really paying attention to his friend. He continued walking around the yard in an investigative manner. He looked down for a moment and saw that there was a small trail of blood on the ground.

"Grant!" Gilliam called his friend, who had just finished his call. "There's a trail of blood here."

"Blood? Where does it lead?" Grant questioned. Gilliam eyes followed the trail. The trail led to an alleyway that was just past the fence. Gilliam's hand instinctively moved towards his belt where there was a sword sheathed. After thinking a bit about the situation at hand, he immediately retracted his hand.

"Don't follow too close," Gilliam told Grant. Grant was slightly confused, but he trusted his friend's judgment and replied with a nod.

Gilliam quickly walked over to the fence and climbed over it. He slowly entered the alleyway. He placed his hand on a wall and noticed there was a small streak of blood on the wall just below his hand. He continued walked through, his footsteps echoed off the walls. Half way through the alley he stopped looking down at a bruised figure sitting next to a trashcan.

"Well I'll be damned. Look at this," Gilliam said aloud to the figure. The beaten boy looked up at the man now towering over him. Kevin was covered with various scratches and knife marks from his earlier scrap with the gang members. He was breathing heavily with exhaustion. He had stumbled into the alleyway after he took down the thugs, but was too tired to carry on.

"What do you want?" Kevin asked harshly. Gilliam merely smirked at the boy.

"I'm not here to fight, if that's what you think," Gilliam replied to the boy. Kevin's body relaxed slightly. There was something strangely comforting about this man. He reminded him of his friend Kwarrel. More importantly he reminded him of his…father. Kevin then heard another pair of footsteps approaching them.

"Gilliam did you find…oh, I suppose you did," Lt. Grant said a he came upon the two. Kevin's eyes went wide at his appearance.

"You're that soldier from earlier today!" Kevin said to the man. Grant smirked, recognizing the boy from earlier.

"Yes, and apparently you can talk," Grant replied in a joking manner.

"Do you have a name kid?" Gilliam asked, standing directly in front of the boy.

"Why don't you ask your partner? He knows after all," Kevin answered back sternly.

"I'm sure he does," Gilliam said calmly, "but I want to hear it from you." Kevin stared intensely at the man for a few seconds before looking back at the ground. "I'm not your enemy kid. I want to help you, but you have to trust me," Gilliam explained to him.

"Kevin Levin," Kevin finally answered after another couple of seconds of silence between the two. A genuine smile then appeared on Gilliam's face.

"Levin, that's a name I haven't heard in a long time," Gilliam said solemnly. Kevin raised his head in confusion at the man. "Your father, his name was Devin Levin. Am I correct?" Gilliam stated the boy. Kevin eyes went wide.

"Y...You knew my father?!" Kevin asked in shock. Gilliam nodded a yes.

"He was dear friend of mine back in the day. He lived and died a good man," Gilliam stated with a look of forlorn. Kevin's face wore the same expression. Gilliam looked back down at the saddened boy and smile reshaped his lips. "But I bet you already knew that. Right before he died though, I recall that he mentioned having a son. I never once thought that I'd meet him in a place like this," Gilliam told the boy. Kevin let out a small chuckle.

"I bet you think me a disgrace for being imprisoned in this place," Kevin stated to him.

"Not at all," Gilliam responded, "We all make mistakes on the path of life. It's simple human nature. There is not one person out there that is completely good or evil. It is only our decisions in life that shape our future. Those decisions can easily be changed for the worse or the better."

Kevin allowed the man's wise words to sink in. He was right in a way. All his life, Kevin's decision had led him down this pathway to here. It was no one doing but his own.

"Listen, I'm willing to offer you a chance to change your path. Come with me. You can live with my family here, my wife and my niece. You start having a better life, even in a place like this," Gilliam said to him. Kevin's head shot up at the man's words. He was generally shocked by the sudden offer. It was something he had been offered before, by Ben Tennyson and his family. He had refused the offer back then. Back then he didn't believe he needed anyone else and look where that mode of thinking got him. Beaten and broken in an alleyway in a city built within the Null Void. Now he was receiving the same offer.

"Why do you want to help me?" Kevin asked curiously.

"I'm showing the same kindness that your father showed me," Gilliam answered, "He offered me friendship, even though I was considered to be an enemy of his cause," Gilliam finished, placing his hand on the handle of his sheathed blade.

"You're a Knight," Kevin stated aloud when he saw the blade.

"Former Knight," Gilliam stated with a faint smile, "But that doesn't matter here. In this city, both Plumbers and Forever Knights have to live in harmony. We all abide the laws set in place by the stationed soldiers at the base. But you'll learn all this as time goes on. Right now, my offer still stands. Will you accept or deny."

"What's in it for me?" Kevin questioned. Gilliam smirked.

"A roof over your head, a warm meal, a bed to sleep in, and you won't be soaking wet. You'll have a home and a family again," Gilliam explained and extended his hand out for him to take. Kevin stared at the unmoving hand, unsure of what to do.

"You'd better answer quick son," Grant spoke, "There are officers heading this way to clean the mess you made back there. I'm not sure what they'll do if they find you here."

Kevin continued his gazed upon the man's extended hand. Could this really be his second chance? What else was there for him if he refused? It would just like back in New York. Constantly fighting to survive on the streets, whether it would be fending off street thugs or trying to find some sort of food. He would nothing more than another street rat, scrounging around for food and always looked upon in disgust. He raised his gaze at Gilliam once more. He was greeted by his kind-hearted expression. The kindest Kevin had seen in a long time. Not a hint deceit anywhere in his eyes. Kevin let out a heavy sigh.

"Alright," Kevin finally replied in a hushed voice and with a grateful smile. He then took Gilliam's hand in his own.

**That's it, that's the first chapter of my new story. It's probably going to be a little more darker than my first one. Now this doesn't mean I've given up on my previous story. I intend to finish that one. I just wanted to get a start on my new one. Here's hoping you guys will enjoy this one too.**

**Please review and tell me what you think so far. **


	2. Ch 2: A New Home

**Thanks to all who liked my first chapter. I'm so glad you like it so far.**

**I do not own Ben 10, just the characters I make up.**

_Chapter 2: A New Home_

"You're sure the kid will be alright?" Grant asked as he looked at the boy sitting quietly in Gilliam's car. Gilliam and Grant stood outside the car talking with each other under the rainy skies. Kevin didn't look at them, aside from maybe a quick side-glance. Despite still wearing a look of forlorn, Kevin was actually feeling a sense of relief. He had been offered a home and he accepted. He still didn't know what really awaited now but it had to be better than the life he was living before.

"Kevin has been through a lot in his life, despite him being so young," Gilliam replied. He turned to look at the boy. He watched as Kevin continued his tired gaze at the rain-soaked windshield. Gilliam smirked slightly as he turned back to his friend.

"The kid's a lot tougher than he looks. I'm sure he'll be fine," he said with a clear smile.

"If you say so," Grant said with an amused huff, "Anyway, I'm sure you need to head back home. Tell Vanessa that I said hi."

"You don't need a ride?" Gilliam questioned.

"I don't want to further impose on your family, especially now that you have a new addition," Grant replied, "Besides I have to now wait for the MP's to show and take care of things here," Grant finished motioning his thumb over to where the gang lay. The gang was chained together by the hands with some loose chains Grant found in the scrapyard. Some of them were beginning wake up now but a good few still were unconscious.

"Alright then, I guess I'm off," Gilliam stated as he walked to the driver's side of the car.

"Later," Grant said giving him a two finger salute. Gilliam returned the gesture and then climbed inside the car. Kevin gave one last glance outside towards Grant. Grant looked at him and gave a him friendly wave. Kevin didn't smile back but gave an appreciative nod towards the man. Gilliam then started the car and the two headed off. Grant watched the car get farther and farther away from him. His good-hearted smile was replaced by a more serious expression.

"_I really do hope that kid will be alright," _he thought to himself, _"This place might seem like a normal thriving community, but only a few know what's hidden behind city walls," _Grant then noticed the flashing red and blue lights getting closer to him. He let out a heavy sigh

"_At least he has Gilliam with him. He'll prepare him for whatever may come."_

* * *

The car was uncomfortably silent. Kevin watched the building pass by as they were on their way towards Gilliam's home.

"Why were you out fighting with that group of thugs?" Gilliam asked to break the silence. Kevin turned his gaze towards the man.

"They started the fight," Kevin replied, "As far as I'm concerned, they deserved every punch."

"Maybe so," Gilliam said with a slight chuckle, "I just find funny that you have only been here for a few hours and you manage to get yourself in a brawl."

"Yeah, well that's a normal day for me," Kevin added with his own humor. Silence once again surrounded the two for couple more minutes. Kevin now decided to break the silence.

"May I ask something?" Kevin questioned.

"What is it?" Gilliam replied

"What exactly is this place?" Kevin asked, "I know Grant called it the Null City, but I've always thought that the Null Void was a prison. Set up to hold the prisoners from multiple galaxies. But this place, it looks just like a city back on Earth, like New York. So, is this a prison or a city?" Kevin finished looking directly at Gilliam. Gilliam was quiet, obviously pondering about Kevin's question. Finally he gave his answer.

"Yes," he said in a low voice.

"Yes what?" Kevin asked in a confused manner, "Which one is it, prison or city?"

"It's both," Gilliam replied.

"I still don't understand," Kevin said shaking his head slightly.

"When the Null Void was created, many alien races began to house their most dangerous criminals there. The Plumbers of Earth were no exception to this," Gilliam began to explain. Kevin listened intently.

"The Plumbers wanted also to house their prisoners there as well. However, there were numerous debates as to whether or not it was safe to place humans alongside the more 'savage' alien species. After many arguments, they finally made a decision. They would build a small community like prison to house their own criminals," Gilliam continued. Kevin looked outside the window and watched the large structures pass by.

"But it grew," Kevin mumbled.

"It did," Gilliam said with a nod, "Over time, the Plumbers's prisoner count rose. Thieves, traitors, and captured Knights filled the city. In response the city grew. What once was a small community became a large city in the middle of the Void."

"But it's not a city!" Kevin exclaimed. Gilliam glanced at the boy. He noticed the way he was clenching his fists almost to the point where they were turning pure white.

"It's nothing but a prison that the Plumbers have fooled everyone into to believing that it's not," Kevin continued in an almost angered tone, "Why does everyone accept living like this?"

"Humans are incredibly adaptive by nature. That's how they've managed survive for thousands of years," Gilliam began in a calm tone. Kevin looked back at Gilliam as he continued, "This has been proven throughout time. Whether its war or plague, the human race has always managed to pull through those dark times and come out stronger in the end. In a place like this, former enemies like the Plumbers and Knights must learn to live together in order to maintain peace. In turn, they are allowed to work, live equally, and raise families just like they would back on Earth," Gilliam's eyes shifted briefly outside the car window. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes at the Plumbers soldiers who were patrolling the streets. Their loaded guns were clearly visible, strapped to the belts of their green uniforms.

"You are allowed to live peacefully here as long as you abide by one rule," Gilliam continued, "Obey. Obey the laws set in place by those who run this city and you can live happily and peacefully."

Another moment of silence fell between them. Kevin studied Gilliam face as he explained the nature of this new environment. He could a sense of contentment in his expression, not happiness or acceptance of the laws of this city but he was willing to bear it. Or perhaps hidden behind that expression was a sense of ongoing dread. Always hoping and praying that events could never lead to the worse. Especially in a place like this.

"If that's the case," Kevin said with an annoyed huff, "Humans are not only adaptable, but also pretty gullible to just accept living under such laws," he finished leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Gilliam glanced quickly at the boy then smiled as he turned his attention back to the road ahead.

"I don't disagree with you there, kid," Gilliam said quietly with a low chuckle.

* * *

The two finally arrived to Gilliam's home and now Kevin's home as well. As they parked on the side of the road Kevin studied the residence up and down. It looked like any simple condo found in large cities. It was three levels and could house a decent sized family. Kevin stepped out of the car and slowly walked towards the building. He quickly noticed that the first level of the building was actually an electronics shop. Kevin stared at the building silently as Gilliam walked past him to unlock the front doors.

"My wife is quite the genius when it comes to computers and such," Gilliam said to Kevin with a grin. Kevin walked towards the man as he unlocked the door, "It's a decent way to make a living here. Especially with all the Plumber tech that comes through."

Gilliam opened the door and motioned Kevin to follow him inside. The inside of the shop was dark with only the lights from the street coming through the windows. There were shelves along the wall showcasing the shop's items. He continued to follow Gilliam towards what looked like the register desk. Above the desk were two signs; one said register and the other said repair. The two walked through a doorway behind the desk. It led into a hallway with stairs that would lead to the living area of the building. They walked up the stairway to another door. Gilliam quickly opened it.

"This is it, home," Gilliam said as he walked through the doorway. Kevin followed suit.

He was a little surprised by how nice the place looked. After living in abandoned subways and prison cells for the last couple years, he was happy to be in an actually home. He was standing in a decent sized living room with leather sofas set up nicely around a wooden coffee table. A medium-sized TV stood along a far wall also. There was also a closed door just off to the side of the room. Connected to the living area, on his left, was a small kitchen with nice looking marble counter tops and a round table for meals next to it.

"I'll admit," Kevin spoke, "I didn't really expect it to be so nice," he finished turning to face Gilliam. Gilliam smiled.

"Yes, well, it's expected that I would be allowed such a nice home. Especially after all my years servicing the Plumbers," Gilliam stated matter-of-factly. Kevin's expression turned to that of confusion.

"Wait! You said were a Forever Knight, how could you have also worked for the Plumbers? Aren't the two supposed to be enemies?" Kevin questioned the man. Gilliam lowered and shook his head with an amused grin.

"There's a lot you don't know about, but I'm sure you'll learn soon enough," Gilliam replied raising his head but not looking directly at him. Kevin raised a curious brow at the man.

"Wait here a minute," Gilliam said looking back at the boy, "We'll see about setting you up in a spare room and about tending to your injuries," he finished. Kevin placed his hand upon his left arm. He felt the wounds from his earlier fight with the gang. Most of the wounds had closed up but he could still feel the leftover scabs and scars. He would also wince slightly from the stinging pain of his fingers brushing a scrape on his upper arm.

"Okay," Kevin said quietly. Gilliam then walked over to the closed door in the next to the living room. He opened it quietly and closed it quietly as well.

Kevin started to glance around the room when Gilliam left. He saw a small bookshelf on one side of the living area. He walked over and viewed the items upon it. In the shelves were various books. They appeared to be common books for studying purposes. He then looked down. He saw what looked like a photo album lying flat on the shelf. He opened it slightly to a random page. There were older looking photos inside. The pictures appeared to be taken from a few years ago, maybe more.

"_These must be from when he was a soldier," _Kevin thought as he looked over the old photos. They were showing Gilliam with some other friends of his, probably other Plumbers or maybe even Knights; Kevin wasn't sure. He eyes then fell upon one particular photo. It was a younger looking Gilliam, early twenties probably, he appeared to at some kind of bar or party with some other friends. However, he was hanging with one particular person. His arm was around his shoulder and the two men had huge smiles on the faces, obviously having a good time. Kevin eyes began to widen as he focused on the second man. He seemed too familiar.

"_Is that," _he looked closer. The man was also in his early twenties with short black hair and dark brown eyes that looked almost black in color. Kevin's eyes were wide with shock and a hint of grief. He knew that man. It was a long time ago but the man's face was still clear in his mind.

"_D…Dad,"_

Kevin then heard a door opening behind him. Quickly, he closed the album and turned around. In the doorway where Gilliam had left earlier, he saw a beautiful women standing there staring at him with an expression of concern and shock. Kevin immediately presumed her to be Gilliam's wife. She had long, wavy chestnut colored hair that graced her upper back. Her eyes were a lovely hazel with a very warm look to them and she was wearing a long white robe. She must a have been in bed when the two had arrived.

"So you're Kevin," she said as she walked towards the boy. Her voice was kind and comforting. She kneeled down to be at eye level with Kevin.

"What happened to you?" she questioned him while looking over his wounds. Gilliam stood a few feet behind them keeping a watchful eye on the two.

"I…it was from a street fight," Kevin mumbled looking away from the woman. Gilliam's wife merely smiled and shook her head slightly.

"Well, it looks like you put up a good fight," she said good-humoredly. Kevin replied with his own smirk. "My name's Vanessa. You probably can already guess that I'm Gilliam's wife," Vanessa told the boy.

"Yeah, I figured. Gilliam said that I would be living with his family," Kevin stated.

"Well then," Vanessa began as she stood back up, "You are welcomed here. Why don't you head upstairs to the spare bedroom? I bring up a medical kit along with some spare clothes for you as well."

Kevin glanced over towards Gilliam briefly. Gilliam gave an approving nod.

"Alright, thank you," Kevin finally said looking back at Vanessa. She smiled down at him.

"It's upstairs, second door on your left," Vanessa said. Kevin nodded in understanding walked back towards the door that led to the stairway. He saw the second flight of stairs that connected to the previous ones. He quickly but quietly headed up to the uppermost floor.

He walked into a basic looking hallway that had four doors, two on each side. Both doors on the right side were closed. As he walked towards the end of the hall, he looked to his left. The first door was slightly ajar. Kevin's pace slowed as he glanced inside. It appeared to be an office or some kind of study. It must be Gilliam's private room.

"_What don't I know?" _ Kevin thought about Gilliam's previous words as he opened the door to his new room. He walked inside. It was a simple room. It had a bed against a wall, a desk, and some drawers for clothes. The walls were pretty bare but that was to be expected for a spare room. Right now the only light was coming from and window above the bed. He sat upon the bed and let out a heavy sigh. He turned his head to look at the window. It wasn't raining as hard as it was earlier but he could still see the few drops of rain hitting the glass. He then heard a light tapping on the door. He turned to be greeted by Vanessa standing in the doorway. She had a small set of clothes and a first aid kit in her hands.

"You okay?" She asked him as she placed the clothes on the desk.

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired," Kevin replied rubbing his eyes a bit. Vanessa grabbed the chair by the desk and brought it over next to the bed.

"Show me your arm," Vanessa said. Kevin did as he was told and extended his injured arm to her.

"Well it looks like most of your lesser wounds have already healed," Vanessa stated while looking over his arm. The only prominent wound was the scrape on his upper arm.

"I always have been a fast healer. Then again those thugs didn't stand a chance against someone like me…ow!" Kevin exclaimed as Vanessa stated to clean his wound.

"Come on, it doesn't hurt that bad," Vanessa stated to as she continued cleaning, "I swear you're as bad as Gilliam and sometimes he would come from a battle with worse wounds." Kevin was silent for a few seconds before speaking again.

"If I may ask, why was Gilliam so willing to take me in? After all, I'm just some kid he found on the streets," Kevin questioned.

"Gilliam has experienced the feeling of being alone and forgotten as well as the pain that comes with it," Vanessa explained. Kevin felt a sense of shock from this, "There have been many battles involving the Knights and the Plumbers. When my husband was young he par of the Forever Knights. During a conflict with the Plumbers, Gilliam was hurt badly. His fellow knights retreated, leaving him behind," as she continued a smile formed on her face, "He might have died that day if not for one man."

"My dad," Kevin stated, Vanessa nodded.

"Devin was a young Plumber back then. When the fighting was done that day, your father found Gilliam badly wounded with no other Knights anywhere near him. Your father had a kind heart, I guess he something told him that he couldn't just leave him there to die. He took him to receive treatment by the Plumbers and was able to convince them allow him to stay within the organization," Vanessa continued to explain.

"Gilliam said that he my dad were friends. He didn't tell me that my dad saved his life. Maybe that's why he wanted to help me," Kevin pondered aloud.

"It's true that Gilliam believes he owes a lot to your father, but don't just think that's the only reason he chose to help. Like I said he understands the hardships you have faced and like your father he also has a very kind and accepting heart. Maybe that's from being both a Knight and a Plumber," Vanessa finished as she completed tending to Kevin's wound by wrapping some bandages around his arm.

"A lot has happened today, you should get some sleep," Vanessa suggested as she stood back up to leave the room.

"I can't thank you enough, both you and Gilliam," Kevin said to her graciously. Vanessa gave him a warm smile.

"You don't have to thank anyone. As I said before you are more than welcomed here. This is your home now," she said to him in an almost motherly tone. Kevin smiled back at her as he watched her exit the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Home," Kevin said quietly to himself. He laid down on the bed and stared quietly at the ceiling. He then felt his eyes droop. He was feeling very tired after today. Everything that has happened hit him like a ton of bricks. He had been thrown into this city/prison, fighting off street gangs like he had done back in New York. Now he was lying in a comfortable bed in a new home. Recollecting on these events made him feel even more tired and soon he drifted off into sleep.

* * *

Vanessa had quietly closed the door to Kevin's room as she left. She turned and saw Gilliam leaning against the wall next to her.

"He asks a lot of questions," Gilliam stated quietly.

"Well, what did you expect?" Vanessa told also speaking in a quiet voice, "I suppose you didn't tell him much when you first picked him up."

"I told the simple stuff he needed to know. About me and about this place. Maybe the less he knows, the more he can live out life normal," Gilliam explained as he walked towards his office.

"Please don't be like that Gilliam," Vanessa said as she followed him inside the room, "You and I both know that he is not a normal human. You told me that he's an Osmosian, just like Devin."

"That's what concerns me," Gilliam stated as he removed his sword from his belt. He placed it next a stand that held his old Knight armor, "Grant told me the he was some sort of deformed creature before being transferred over here. What that implies is that he only has a basic understanding of his powers and he's already lost control once," Gilliam explained.

"So why don't you teach him?" Vanessa requested.

"I don't know if I can," Gilliam stated harshly as he sat down in his desk chair.

"But you've been around Osmosians for most of your life," Vanessa stated.

"So have you, but just because you've been friends with one doesn't mean you can properly teach one," Gilliam said while rubbing his face. Silence fell upon the two for a brief second.

"You could still train him how to properly fight and defend himself," Vanessa stated seriously.

"I could," Gilliam mumbled.

"Gilliam, he's a fighter, you already seen that. He needs to learn," Vanessa said softly as she put a hand on his shoulder. Gilliam looked up at his wife and smiled softly.

"I just want keep the promise that I made," Gilliam said in a hushed voice. Vanessa chuckled softly and leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"I know you do, but even you can only do so much. At least think about teaching him," Vanessa said with a sweet smile, she then headed towards the door. "It's getting late you should come to bed," she said when she reached the door.

"Go on, I'll be there in a minute," Gilliam said. Vanessa smiled at him and Gilliam watched her leave the room to head back downstairs. Gilliam turned in his seat to face his desk. Lying on his desk were some newspaper articles from the city. He looked over them. Each headline depicted some of the problems that the Null city was facing right now. Small riots erupting and rumors about a weapon smuggling ring; those were two of the most prominent problems. Gilliam looked over one last article. It read "Another murder victim found, same state as the last one," that was the article that bothered Gilliam the most.

"_She's right. I have a bad feeling that the boy is going to get himself into some trouble eventually," _Gilliam thought to himself as he got up from his seat. _"Looks like I'll have no other choice but to train him," _he concluded as he headed out of the room and back downstairs.

* * *

Kevin found himself in what looked like the city streets. Something was off about this place though. It was dark and barren with no signs of life anywhere. The strong smell of ash and decay filled his nostrils as he looked around. The buildings that surrounded him had shattered windows and crumbling walls. As he continued to gaze upwards he noticed that the sky was a deep red color with swirls clouds of smoke everywhere.

"Hello!" he yelled out into the empty space. There was no answer. He was alone. He hated being alone in this place. Something bad had happened here, but what?

He continued to walk forward; it was all he could do. This street felt like it would never end as he continued his pace. He then stopped. He listened carefully. A faint sound of footsteps could be heard in front of him and they were getting louder.

"Hello? Please answer me; I just want to know where I am!" Kevin called out in utter desperation. Again there was no answer just the sounds of the footsteps coming closer. Now it sounded like there more than one person. It sounded like a whole group of people.

His eye narrowed as he listened. Soon his eyes widened with confusion as he saw an eerie red mist coming from the shadows and flowing along the ground. The mist flowed quickly, as though it was a river of blood. It swirled around his legs and feet. A wave of fear washed over his face as he gazed down at the hellish substance.

He then heard the sounds of footsteps ceasing. He quickly looked back towards the shadows. He could feel his body tremble with fear. What now stood a few feet away from him was a whole row of soldier. They weren't regular soldiers. They each looked the same with matching uniforms and generis looking faces. However, where their eyes would be, there were two vacant black holes.

"Stay away from me!" Kevin exclaimed as stepped back slightly. With that, the soldier that stood in the middle of the row narrowed his vacant hole as if they were his eyes. He then lifted his gun and fired a shot at the boy.

Kevin was able to jump back just in time to avoid the bullet. The bullet hit the ground in front of him. The ground caught on fire where the bullet had hit. Fear enveloped Kevin's entire being as he looked back up at the soldiers. Now all of the figures had their guns pointed at him.

"Shit! Shit!" Kevin cried out as he quickly got up and started running away from the soldiers. As he ran he could hear each shot being fired at him. The bullet either hit the ground behind him as he ran or he was the streaks of the bullets fly past him to hit the path ahead. With each impact of a bullet on the ground, a small fire appeared where it hit.

Kevin continued to run until out of the corner of his eye he saw a small alleyway. He quickly stopped and turned to head for the passage. He made to the alley but he didn't stop running. The alleyway seemed just as long as the previous street. He glanced behind him briefly. He saw the red mist begin to follow him. He ran faster. Ahead he noticed that the alley was becoming narrower. He had to slow his pace as reach the end. He squeezed himself through the narrow passage as fast as he possibly could, knowing that the red mist was following him. He saw the exit just in front of him. He pressed on as the passage got narrower and narrower finally he was able to escaped with one last jump through the passage. He landed hard upon the hard asphalt of the street. He looked back to the alleyway. He saw the red mist leak out of the exit he escaped from. He moved back and away from the eerie substance while still lying on the asphalt. He let out a sigh of relief though, knowing that at least he got away from the demonic soldiers.

"You shouldn't have come here," a sinister voice said to him. Kevin looked to his right. He saw a lone figure standing and staring at him a few feet away. He didn't look like the soldiers from earlier. Kevin couldn't see his face for it covered by black shadows. The only thing Kevin could see were the man's eyes, illuminated against the pitch black canvas of his face. Kevin was startled by them. His pupils were deepest color of red that Kevin had ever seen. They look the color of blood.

"Who the hell are you?!" Kevin shouted at the man as he stood back up. The figure didn't say anything aside from chuckling darkly at the boy.

The man took one step forward. As he did, sparks of red lightning shot towards him. Kevin raised his arms to shield himself against the sparks. The lightning hit his arms and burned like fire against his skin. The power the man emitted was too much for the boy. Kevin fell backwards on the asphalt with brute force. He didn't stay there long as quickly got back up to get away from the man. He started to run away from the man but soon stopped dead in his tracks. He saw the row of soldiers in standing in the distance in front of him with their guns raised ready to fire. Kevin took some steps back from the soldiers and turned to run away, but he soon realized that the dark man was still there waiting for him. Kevin was trapped between these two fearsome obstacles. He was now paralyzed with fear, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time. He looked back at the lone man. The man stared back with his demonic red eyes. It looked like they were filled with hate, all for him. The man then raised his hand. Red sparks emitted from it. Just then a shot of red lighting came from his hand and raced towards Kevin. Kevin's eyes went wide as the lightning got closer and closer.

* * *

Kevin woke up.

His lurched forward from his sleeping so that he was now sitting upright. His body was drenched in sweat and he was breathing heavily. He could still feel his body shaking from the nightmare. Slowly he raised his hands to his face. He began to rub his face to calm himself down.

"It was just a dream," Kevin whispered quietly to himself. He let out a heavy sigh, "Man, I've never had a nightmare like that though."

He looked out the window in his room. It was now bright and sunny outside. He must have being sleeping a long time. He got off his bed, stretched, and walked towards the pile of clothes that Vanessa had left on the desk last night. Kevin had slept in the same clothes he wore yesterday. He looked over the pile of clean clothes. He picked a nice white button-up shirt and a pair of jeans. He decided to strip off his ragged and dirty clothes that he was wearing. He put on the clean jeans and buttoned up the new shirt he was given. Once he was changed he walked towards the door rubbing his neck tiredly as he did.

He entered the hallway and closed the door behind him. It was empty and he didn't hear any sounds from any of the other rooms. He walked over to the stairway. It was then that he just noticed that there were more stairs that lead to the roof. He must have been too tired last night to notice or he just didn't care. Still his curiosity was getting the better of him and he decided to head up there. He figured he might get a better view of the city as well.

He climbed to the top until he reached a door. He opened and shielded his eyes from the sunlight that entered. His eyes adjusted as the outside world came into view. The roof was pretty barren. As he walked he heard the gravel shift beneath his feet. A chain link fence surrounded the entire area of the roof. He walked over to the fence and looked out over the city, with one hand gripping the fence.

The city looked even larger than he expected. Tall buildings encompassed the area and some were even taller than the roof he was standing on. He looked down at the street and saw crowds of people walking along the sidewalks. He could also hear the sounds of car and busses that filled the streets. He looked back up and his eyes focused on one particular building in the distance. He leaned on to the fence even more and his other hand came up to grip it. It was definitely the Plumbers base he was taken to yesterday. It was the most prominent looking out of the other buildings that surrounded it. It almost looked like a large more militaristic version of the white house.

It was far away, on the north side of the city, so Kevin figured that he now must living on the south side of the city. The Null City itself was split up by the plumbers into four specific sectors; the north, south, east, and west. In the middle of the city was a large park, obviously inspired by Central Park in New York City. Kevin continued to looked around the city some more. He saw in the distance, on the east side, what looked like a bridge connecting the city to large island. How the Plumbers were able to create island in a body of water in a city like this was another marvel to Kevin. There appeared to be some residential building on it but there were also what looked like some large factory-like buildings. It must be some kind of industrial district.

Kevin let out another sigh as he leaned his head against the fence. This place was his new home now. Strangely though, he didn't really feel saddened or angry at this. He felt content actually. Maybe after living on his own in New York and fighting in an alien prison, being welcomed by Gilliam and Vanessa into their home gave him a new sense of warmth that he had lost years ago. He had lost such feeling when his father died and his mother remarried. He thought he would never get back when he was forced to leave his home to live on the streets. Now he was regaining it. A new set of determination was filling his being. It now occurred to him that this really was his chance to start anew. Maybe…

"Are you Kevin?" an unfamiliar female voice came from behind him. it broke Kevin of his thought and he turned around to greet this new voice.

**Wow, it's been a while. Anyway here's the next chapter. I hope doesn't feel slow or anything like that, but there was a lot of plot to get through. I hope you guys like it and please review. **


	3. Ch 3: The Knight with Twin Blades

**Alright, Kevin is all settled in at his new home. Let's introduce some more OCs shall we.**

**I do not own Ben 10.**

_Italics mean either thoughts or flashbacks._

_Chapter 3: The Knight with Twin Blades_

"So you're Kevin," a voice said from behind Kevin. He turned around to greet this new voice. When he turned, he saw a girl standing there before him, in front of the door he had come out of. She looked only about a year younger than him. She had short blond hair that just touched her shoulders and her eyes were a nice shade of hazel. Kevin also quickly noticed the sword sheath strapped around her waist. If this girl was Gilliam's niece, who he had mentioned before, then she must also be a Knight like he was.

"I am," Kevin finally replied, "So who are you? I'm already guessing that you're Gilliam's niece," Kevin asked of her.

"That's correct. Since this is our first proper introduction, my name's Laura, Laura Cross," Laura stated to Kevin in a serious tone. Kevin smirked slightly. He leaned his back against the chain-link fence and crossed his arms.

"Okay then, Laura," Kevin began with an almost cocky smirk, "If this is supposed a 'proper introduction', then what's with the face?" Kevin questioned her. He had noticed he tone and attitude the entire time she was speaking to him. A face he knew all too well when living in New York.

"What are you talking about?" Laura asked in confusion.

"Don't play dumb," Kevin replied rather harshly, "I've seen that kinda of look before. A look of distrust and suspicion. You don't like me being here."

"I never said that," Laura replied immediately, "I trust my uncle's judgment, so I won't go against his decision to let you stay."

"But?" Kevin questioned her again in a cocky tone that almost annoyed the girl.

"But, I will say I am curious about why you're he chose to immediately let you stay," Laura began to explain. Kevin's eyes narrowed slightly at her words and his smirk disappeared.

"While you were still asleep, my uncle had told me that you were now living with us and how he found you out in the city. Apparently beaten up in an alleyway," Laura stated matter-of-factly. Kevin scoffed at her words.

"You do realize that he found me there after I had beaten up a gang of thugs," Kevin added cockily.

"True, but beating up some wannabe street gang doesn't prove much," Laura replied with a chuckle. Kevin froze at this, annoyed at her jest. Laura just found it satisfying that she finally was able to get under the boy's skin.

"Well," Kevin began, trying to change the subject, "I still kinda believe that he took me in simply because of my father," he finished in an almost solemn voice. Laura shook her head in disbelief.

"Give my uncle some credit; I'm sure there it's more complicated than that. After all, he has always been one to offer guidance to anyone who needs it," Laura told him in a reassuring manner. Kevin smirked slightly.

"I do know that they were good friends. He would always tell me stories about his days as a soldier," Laura continued with an almost reminiscent look, but then it turned into one of concern as she looked at the ground, "However, I do wonder, after all the stories that my uncle told about back then and Devin, Why would his son be thrown into a place like this?" she wondered aloud. She heard Kevin scoff. Laura immediately shot her head back up. She saw that he now had a rather serious and almost saddened expression.

"Believe me, I'm nothing like my father," Kevin said to her. Laura noticed the way his face fell as talked about his father. She now felt almost bad that she brought the subject up.

"It's better that people don't compare us together. It's not like I'll ever do the things he has done. People should just remember him instead of focusing their attention on me," Kevin stated as he hung his head low to look at the ground. Laura's eyes softened a little as she listened to him. She closed her eyes and let out a quiet sigh.

"So…you basically don't want to be a disgrace," Laura stated sincerely, after all she knew how that felt. Kevin scoffed again at her words.

"I don't need your pity!" Kevin exclaimed angrily, misinterpreting her tone.

"It's not pity!" Laura shouted back, her tone now becoming irritated, "It's just, I can imagine how hard it must to live in one person's shadow; never being able to live up to certain expectations," Laura explained as she glanced back at the ground. Kevin's angry gaze did soften a little at this, but it still wasn't enough to change his attitude.

"So...you know how it feels, because you're also a disgrace to your own family," Kevin stated in an almost mocking tone, though with some hidden sincerity. Laura's head snapped back up.

"I didn't say that!" She shouted angrily at him. Kevin still kept his calm composure at her outburst.

"Then why are you so angry?" Kevin asked in monotone. Laura fell silent for a few seconds. Her gaze once again turned towards the ground beneath her.

"It's none of your business. I don't really want to talk about my family," Laura said quietly but with agitation in her voice. She heard a quietly huff from Kevin as she looked back up him.

"Then that settles it," Kevin began. Laura was confused slightly at his statement. "Since you don't have to talk about your past, I don't have to talk about mine," Kevin stated matter-of-factly.

"So what, is thus some kind of deal we just made?!" Laura exclaimed in utter confusion and irritation.

"Pretty much," Kevin replied with a quick nod and a smirk, "I believe in fair trade between people," he finished with humor in his voice.

"Unbelievable," Laura said while rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"I don't why you would want to know that stuff anyway? What, do you think of me as some sort of threat?" Kevin questioned humorously.

"Please," Laura replied with an amused chuckle, "Right now you're just annoying more than anything else. Besides, why would I be afraid of you? There are worse people in this city after all."

"Then why do have your blade with you?" Kevin asked looking at the sheaths on her belt. Laura's hand came down to rest on the handle of the blade.

"I always like to keep them nearby when I can. I also usually come up here practice anyway," Laura explained to him.

"Practice? Oh, so you're still just a little girl in training," Kevin said mockingly. He stood up off the fence and shoved his hands in his pockets. He figured he had enough of this conversation and was ready to leave, if the girl would let him.

"Don't push me, Levin," Laura stated as she cocked a brow at him, "I may constantly practice my skills, but believe me, I am no amateur when it comes down to fighting."

"Yeah well, I don't get impressed easily," Kevin said as he began to make his way towards the exit behind her, "Unless you can back up your boast…"

Before Kevin could finish and make it past her, he was stopped by a blade stopping right near his throat. It was close to his neck, but not close enough to kill him. Kevin looked to the side to see Laura holding the blade out with a confident smirk on her face. Kevin admitted the bold move startled him slightly. She was fast with the sword. He didn't even see her draw the blade. The blade itself was very peculiar, at least for a Forever Knight to have. It looked much like a katana and had the handle wrapped in what appeared to be red velvet clothe.

"You were saying," she stated confidently at him. Kevin kept his blank expression at her comment. It was impressive at just how quick she was to stop him dead in his tracks. However he wasn't about to give her the satisfaction.

"You should be more careful with this," Kevin said mockingly while tapping the blade carefully with his finger, "you could really hurt someone, you know"

"That's kind of the point isn't it," Laura stated obviously, "You should be more careful of your cocky attitude. That's what will get you in trouble or worse," she finished, raising the blade to Kevin's throat ever so slightly. Kevin backed off slightly at this.

"Don't push me, Cross," Kevin said, remembering Laura's earlier words. Laura smirked at this.

"You said that you were a good fighter. How about you back up your boast," Laura said to him in an almost mocking tone. A devious smirk appeared on Kevin's face.

"Alright then," Kevin said quietly. Then, in a split second, Kevin attempted a sweeping kick to Laura's feet. However, Laura was also quick to react. She jumped away just as Kevin reached her feet. She landed a few feet away from him and held out her sword in a defensive position. Kevin absorbed the stone underneath him to cover his arms. He stood up to take his own fighting stance.

"Okay, that wasn't too bad," Kevin admitted with a cocky grin, "but I'm still not impressed."

"I haven't even shown you anything," Laura stated with a proud huff. Gripping her sword firmly, Laura sped towards Kevin in a flash. She attempted to hit him in the head with the pommel of the sword's handle. Luckily, Kevin was just quick enough to block it with his stone arms. Kevin admitted to himself that this girl was definitely fast and the velocity of the impact made up for a lack of immense strength. With a grunt, Kevin pushed her back and away from him. Laura tried to regain her footing as she slid backwards. Right as she regained her balance though, she quickly saw Kevin with his fist raised in front of her, ready to strike. She jumped back hastily to avoid his fist, stumbling backwards onto the ground as she did. She was breathing heavily with wide eyes.

"_He's only about a year older than I am," _Laura thought to herself in amazement. She saw the cracks left on the ground from the impact of his fist. Fog like dust clouds rose from the ground as he struck it. _"But still, he has all that raw power to throw around. It's unbelievable, but I still wonder if he can really control it," _Laura pondered to herself. On the outside, Kevin was definitely, in her opinion, a cocky and smart mouth kid who seems to only act upon impulse. However, she could still see some kind of dark glint in his eyes that gave him the more dangerous feel to him.

"Come on, get up!" Kevin's shouts snapped Laura out of her momentary daze, "Don't tell me you're giving up now, princess," he mocked her with sneer.

"Yeah right, you cocky jerk," Laura exclaimed angrily. She was really annoyed now. Again she rushed him at top speed. She brought her blade down to strike, but Kevin success fully blocked it again with his arm.

"You can't expect to beat me with the same, can you?" Kevin asked her in an amused tone. Laura simply flashed him a wicked grin.

"You know what, you're right," She stated simply, much to Kevin's confusion. Just then, he saw her pull out another sword from her belt sheath, identical to the one she already had out. It moved fast to strike at his mid-section. Quickly, he used his free arm to hastily block the oncoming blade.

"What the hell!" Kevin exclaimed in shock. True, he hadn't fought many Knights in the past, but he never even heard of one using two swords to fight. Kevin's confusion gave Laura a perfect opportunity. She then delivered a brutal kick to Kevin's stomach and effectively sent him back to hit the fence behind him, drawing out a painful grunt from the boy. He slid to the ground still groaning slightly.

"You can give up now, if you want," Laura said with a confident grin as she stood over him. Kevin looked up at her with a sneer, growling slightly and rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't count on it," Kevin growled as he slowly stood back up. Laura backed away from the bay as he did, "The only reason you got the best of me that time is because I was a little surprised by the second blade," Kevin explained to her.

"That's not surprising to me. Only a select few Knights have been trained to use two swords in a fight and I am one of them," Laura stated in a monotone voice. She looked down at one of her blades to see her reflection on the cold steel surface. Her eyes narrowed slightly at her reflection. Kevin saw this and seemed confused. Why did she seem so saddened by her own unique skills?

"I think were both evenly matched," Laura stated as she looked back up at Kevin, "Why don't we stop now, or else this could go on all day," Laura finished while glancing away from her opponent. Kevin wasn't deterred. It seemed, to him at least, like she was trying to stop this because of her own personal baggage.

"I don't think so," Kevin replied with huff. Laura was taken aback by his answer, "You see, I don't really believe in a draw. A fights' not over until there's a clear victor, that what I learned back in New York," he finished and lunged at her again with his fist. Laura hastily blocked him with her swords. Laura tried to push him away with her swords but Kevin was definitely much physical stronger than her as he used one hand on his forearm to push her defense back.

"You stubborn prick," Laura said in a strained voice, using all her might to push her opponent.

"At least I don't easily give up!" Kevin exclaimed back causing Laura's eye to go wide. "You were beginning to get the upper hand, but you blatantly decided to stop before you even tried to claim victory, why?" Kevin asked her quite seriously.

"I…" Laura tried to give him answer but no words formed in her head. She glanced to the ground wondering to herself about her own actions. Kevin's anger was rising at her silence. With one great shove, he broke through her defense and delivered a strong tackle which threw her to the ground. Laura was able to get up on one knee. She looked up to see Kevin looking sternly at her.

"I don't know what happened to you. What the deal was with your family or whatever, but I don't see the point of holding back and giving up like that, especially since you are a strong fighter. Stuff like that could get you killed," Kevin stated to her. His tone came out harsh, but there was still an underlining sense of sincerity in is words that shocked Laura. It was something that nobody had said to her before.

"All right, that's enough you two," a voice said to them. Kevin and Laura looked to see Gilliam standing at the doorway with his arms crossed, looking over the two.

"Uncle!" Laura exclaimed in surprise as she scrambled to stand back up.

"How long have you been standing there?" Kevin questioned the man.

"Not long actually," Gilliam answered, "I heard some commotion up here and decided to check it out. It's nice to see you two getting acquainted," he explained with a grin.

"We're sorry uncle Gilliam. It was never our intention to really fight," Laura said in an apologetic manner as she sheathed her blades. Gilliam merely chuckled at her.

"It's fine, Laura," Gilliam said to her, "I've always believed that the strongest friendships can be formed from combat."

"Right," Laura said with a slight chuckle. She then felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see her uncle smiling down at her.

"Why don't you head back downstairs, I'd like to talk to the boy," Gilliam said kindly to her. Laura glanced back at Kevin. He was standing still of few feet behind her. He was looking off to the side as though he was in deep thought and had his hands deep in his pockets.

"Okay," she said as she looked back to her uncle and gave him an understanding nod. She then walked behind him to head to the doorway and back downstairs to her room. Gilliam watched her the whole way until she closed the door to the roof behind her. He then turned back to face Kevin.

"So, what do you think of my niece?" Gilliam asked the boy. Kevin shrugged.

"She nosy and slightly annoys me, but I will admit she is a good fighter," Kevin replied. Gilliam chuckled softly.

"Well, I just glad she can have an appropriate sparring partner now," Gilliam stated. Kevin let out an amused huff at this.

"You said you wanted to talk. What about?" Kevin questioned him.

"It sort of ties into what we were already discussing," Gilliam replied.

"What do you mean?" Kevin asked.

"Well, you've already proven your strength in fighting; however your style and form need work. So, I have decided that you need proper training," Gilliam calmly explained to the boy.

"You're going to train me!" Kevin exclaimed excitedly.

"If you want," Gilliam said to him still keeping his calm tone.

"Yes! So, when do we start?" Kevin asked obviously pumped.

"Right now," Gilliam stated as turned away from Kevin. He walked a few feet away from him and then turned once more to face him directly, "I want you to charge at me," Gilliam stated as he stared directly at the boy. Kevin was a bit confused.

"Are you serious?" Kevin asked, confused at what the man meant.

"Completely serious," Gilliam replied, "Look, I don't even have blade with me to defend myself. I want you to come at me with everything you got. Don't hold back."

"Alright then, you asked for it," Kevin stated boldly, raising his still stone covered arms. He then charged at the man, fist raised, ready to strike. Gilliam stood motionless, with a calm expression on his face. He continued to watch the young Osmosian run towards him, analyzing his every move. Kevin had just reached him, swing his fist towards him to land a clean blow to his face. Before he could hit him though, Gilliam quickly moved slightly to the side to avoid the blow. Shock appeared on Kevin's face as he saw how his fist just barely missed his target. Time moved slowly as Kevin's eyes locked with Gilliam's dark orbs. Then, Gilliam took his own fist and collided it hard with Kevin's chest; effectively send him back and tumbling against the hard stone of the roof. Kevin was able to prop himself back up on one knee, still in shock from the blow he received.

"Get up! Try again!" Gilliam demanded. Kevin turned to face the man again. He had a very serious and almost threatening expression on his face that surprised Kevin. Kevin got back up. He felt his agitation rising, but he once again charged at the man to strike. He swung his fist at him again, but Gilliam easily caught his fist with his hand. Kevin could now feel how strong Gilliam actually was. Even though he was still struggling slightly at Kevin enhanced strength, he could very easily hold the boy back.

"Is this really the best you can do," Gilliam stated in an almost mocking tone, "Didn't you learn anything from those alien convicts you were with before." Kevin felt his anger rise more at Gilliam mockery. Kevin didn't like him bringing up his past. With an almost beastly growl, Kevin swung his other fist at the man. Gilliam successfully ducked to avoid it. Gilliam was surprised a little at how ferocious the boy's attacks could when pushed hard enough. He must have become like that from the mixture of experience from the streets of New York and from fighting in the Null Void. Kevin continued to throw strong punches at the man, which Gilliam was able to easily dodge every time. Kevin threw another punch. Gilliam dodged again and ended up behind the boy and delivered a strong kick to his back which sent Kevin to the ground again.

"I'm disappointed," Gilliam began, "Surely I had hoped that Devin's son would put up more of a fight, but this is just pathetic," that was the final straw. Kevin's anger was now reaching its boiling point at the mention of his father. With another rage filled growl, Kevin lunged at Gilliam, throwing sporadic punches at the man. Gilliam now tried to dodge the random punches, but he left his guard for one quick moment. Kevin took that opportunity and landed a punch to his abs. the blow wasn't hard enough to send Gilliam back, but it definitely did hurt. With a grunt, Gilliam reached out and grabbed Kevin's shirt collar. He then threw him behind him and Kevin collided hard with the ground. Kevin lay on his back on the ground, panting hard, eyes closed, and feeling a tremendous amount of pain. He wanted to get up, but something kept him to the ground. Maybe it was Gilliam earlier words, the comparison of him to his father. He knew it was true. Gilliam looked down at the defeated boy and he felt his gaze soften a bit.

"I'm sorry," Gilliam said softly to the boy. Kevin opened his eyes to look back up at the man, but he still didn't attempt to get up.

"I went too far. I shouldn't have brought up your father," Gilliam said apologetically, remembering how pained and angered the boy looked when he was fighting him.

"It's fine," Kevin said, turning his head to the side and staring off into space. Gilliam knew the boy was lying, but decided it would be best to try and avoid the subject.

"The reason I did that was to prove a point," Gilliam explained, "The way you fight, you act merely on impulse with no thought put into what your opponent is like or what's the best way to defeat them. As you have seen, that mode of thinking allowed you to be easily overpowered."

"That was the whole point of this?! To prove that I could easily get my ass kicked!" Kevin exclaimed as he sprung up into a sitting position, still looking at Gilliam.

"Pretty much," Gilliam said with a shrug and a grin. Kevin let out a heavy sigh at his answer. Gilliam chuckled slightly and continued to speak, "But it was important for you to learn. It's my belief that you acting on impulse and letting your anger control is exactly what has landed you in such horrible situations in the past," Gilliam explained. Kevin took in all of his words. They were making sense to him.

"Strong human emotions such as anger, sadness, and pain can cause people act purely on instinct, not giving into consideration as to what's right or wrong. Osmosians control and manipulate energy. If they absorb too much energy they lose control."

"I know that!" Kevin stated obviously.

"I'm sure you do!" Gilliam stated back, "My point is that you probably lost control is because on top of absorbing energy, you let your anger control your thoughts, which in turn led you to where you are now!" Gilliam explained to him. Kevin was silent as he hung his head low, sitting in a cross-legged position with his hands on his knees.

"I will say, that I probably can't properly teach you how to use your power as might Devin might have," Gilliam said solemnly, "but I can say, if you want to learn control, first practice and learn how to keep your emotions in check. That way, you will never slip back into the insanity you were in before," Gilliam explained calmly to him. Kevin still was silent and kept his head low, but he did give a slight nod in understanding. Gilliam smiled slightly at the boy and then turned to head back downstairs.

"Can I ask you something? Something I been wanting to ask for a while actually," Kevin asked the man. Gilliam stopped walking and turned his head slightly to look back at the boy.

"What is it?" Gilliam questioned. There was a brief moment of silence before Kevin spoke again.

"How…How did my dad die?" Kevin finally asked. Gilliam eyes widened briefly. He knew Kevin might ask that, but he didn't really know what to tell him.

"He was killed…while on a mission," Gilliam answered him honestly.

"Killed, huh," Kevin said softly as he tightened his fists, "Can you tell me one more thing?"

"Hmm," Gilliam responded. He felt like he knew what the boy was going to ask.

"Can you tell me who killed him?" Kevin asked through his clenched teeth. Gilliam was silent for a second, gazing down at the boy. Finally he answered

"No," Gilliam said blatantly and he turned back to begin walking back downstairs. Kevin's head had shot up at his answer and he watched Gilliam walk down the stairs. Quickly, he scrambled back to his feet and ran to the doorway.

"Why the hell not?!" he shouted down the stairwell. Gilliam didn't flinch as he stopped walking for a second to answer back.

"There's no reason for you to know now. What would you do if I told you anyway?" he asked calmly and continued to walk down the stairs.

"I…I…" Kevin stammered. What would he do if he knew? He didn't know, but he still felt angry that Gilliam wouldn't tell him. He raced down the stairs after him, following him down to the living room.

"It doesn't matter what I would do!" Kevin shouted as he entered the room behind Gilliam, "I have a right to know, don't I?!"

"It does matter what you'll do, at least to me!" Gilliam shouted angrily back. Kevin was taken aback by the man's outburst. "We just finished discussing about controlling your anger! If I tell you who it was who killed your father, what would you do? Would you go out on a revenge filled rampage?" Gilliam asked the boy in a serious tone.

"Why wouldn't I be upset?!" Kevin shouted back, "Weren't you? You were his friend after all."

"Of course I was upset!" Gilliam exclaimed. Kevin watched as Gilliam's expression turned sad, "I was angry and sad, because he was just…gone. I had lost my friend, but he died honorably," Gilliam explained gazing at the ground. He then looked back to Kevin and his expression turned angry again, "Vengeful anger will not bring him back and it's not what he would've wanted from you," Gilliam finished. Kevin looked down at the floor. He was trembling with anger from both Gilliam and himself. He then let out a heavy sigh before speaking again.

"Whatever," Kevin said softly, not looking at Gilliam. He then turned and walked toward the door to leave.

"Where are you going?" Gilliam asked him.

"I'm going to take a walk," Kevin stated, still not turning to answer him and continuing to walk downstairs to the main level.

"Kevin!" Gilliam shouted to try and stop him. It didn't work. Kevin had disappeared from his view downstairs. Gilliam let out a heavy sigh and went to sit on the sofa. He sat there rubbing his face in frustration.

"What happened?" Gilliam heard his wife ask him. He turned to see Vanessa walking toward shim from the stairwell. She had been walking upstairs when she heard the argument and also saw Kevin march downstairs and leave.

"He asked me what happened to Devin and I told him," Gilliam answered calmly.

"Did you tell him everything?" Vanessa asked her husband as she sat next to him.

"He asked me who killed him," Gilliam said.

"And?" Vanessa asked.

"He doesn't need to know," Gilliam stated.

"You didn't want to tell him," Vanessa stated instantly.

"Don't be like that," Gilliam said solemnly to her, "I'm sure he'll find out one day, but he should just try to enjoy life for now, before he gets caught up in that world." Vanessa smiled softly at her husband. She placed her hand on his.

"Do you want to go after him?" she asked rubbing his hand gently with her thumb. Gilliam shook his head.

"No, he'll come back," Gilliam said to her.

"You're sure?" She asked him. Gilliam turned his gaze to her and smiled.

"Yes. After all, he knows he's always welcome here," he said softly as he squeezed her hand gently. Vanessa smiled and laid her head on his shoulder.

"You're right," Vanessa said softly to him.

"Aren't I always," Gilliam said with a chuckle. He listened to her laugh softly as he kissed the top of her head before laying his own head gently on hers. Outside the room, Laura was listening to the conversation as she stood next to the stairs. She too had heard Kevin and her uncle argue and was concerned with what they were saying. She then looked down the stairs where Kevin had left. After much consideration, she sped down the stairs to go after him.

* * *

Kevin had been walking around for about hour now and had found his way to the park in the middle of the city. He was walking among the dense greenery that had grown there when he came upon a stone clock tower sitting in the middle of the park he carefully climbed up on it and sat down to rest. He looked over the people in the park. He saw families there. Fathers playing with their children as the mothers watched over them with a smile. A sad smile was clear on Kevin's face as he watched them, wondering what it would be like to experience such simple things. He looked up towards the sky, watching it begin to grow dark. He then leaned his head back and closed his eyes, as though he were going to fall asleep.

"So you came here," a familiar voice startled him. He quickly opened his eyes and looked over to see Laura standing next to him.

"Oh, it's just you. What do you want?" Kevin asked her, slightly annoyed.

"I heard you arguing with my uncle," Laura stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh," Kevin said softly as he looked away from her, "How much did you hear?"

"I heard enough," Laura said to him, her gaze softening slightly, "Listen, I am sorry about your father. He obviously was a good man; I can understand why you would miss him," she said sincerely to him. Kevin sighed heavily.

"I just don't understand why he wouldn't tell me more about his death. You shouldn't I be allowed to know?" Kevin pondered aloud.

"I'm sure my uncle believes that you do, but don't you think it would hard for his to remember that time," Laura explained to him. Kevin turned to look at her, listening to what she had to say. He noticed how she hung her head low as she spoke, "Surely could try to understand what it like for someone who's lost a dear friend," she continued to speak remembering a conversation she had with uncle some years ago.

"_Uncle, who's this?" a young eight year old Laura asked Gilliam. She was sitting on the sofa in the living room flipping through the pages of an album. Gilliam was in the kitchen when his niece called for him. He walked over to her to see what she was talking about._

"_Where did find that?" Gilliam asked her looking at the photo album in her hands._

"_I found it over there on the shelf," she answered him, pointing at the shelf by the wall; "I was looking through some of the pictures and saw this one with you and this other soldier. You both look like good friends, was he?" she asked him innocently. Gilliam smiled and took the album from her and looked down at the old picture._

"_His name's Devin," Gilliam stated as look at the image of his friend, "And yes, he was one of my closest friends when I was in the Plumbers."_

"_Where is he now? I'd like to meet him," Laura asked him. She saw his expression turn sad as he close the album and walk over to place it back on the shelf._

"_He's gone, honey," Gilliam said solemnly, not looking at her. Laura expression saddened as she looked upon her uncle. Seeing just how depressed he was at the memory._

"_Do you miss him, your friend?" She asked him. Gilliam was silent for a few second which worried Laura. He then turned to face her with a forced smile on his lips._

"_I do, but the important thing is to remember the good times because they will usually outweigh the bad," Gilliam said to her. He walked over to her and gently stroked her hair in a fatherly manner, causing the young girl to smile up at him. "Try to remember that as you grow, it may help you in the future," he stated wisely to her._

"_Right, uncle," she said to him with nod. Gilliam flashed her another kind smile and then turned to walk away. Laura watched him walk away still a little saddened for her uncle._

"Don't you think it's hard for him revisit those bad memories and I'm also sure that he feels that it's worse for you since you didn't get to spend as much time with him," Laura continued to tell Kevin. Kevin's gaze softened slightly in understanding. He then chuckled a bit, much to Laura's surprise.

"Your uncle's a big softie, you know that," Kevin said good-humorously. Laura also chuckled softly at this.

"I know, but he's also very wise," Laura stated with a smile.

"Yeah," Kevin said quietly also smiling. Laura looked at the older boy in silence for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh and turning to leave.

"I'm going back home, you coming? Laura quickly asked him before leaving.

"You go on. I'll be heading back in a minute," Kevin replied leaning his head back again. Laura looked back at him for another minute before speaking again.

"Okay, don't be late. I don't want you worrying my aunt and uncle," Laura stated to him and walked away, heading back home. Kevin merely chuckled at her words as he continued to sit there a look up at the darkening sky.

* * *

Laura continued her trek home. The streets were eerily quiet and empty that night. She was getting close, but she still walking slowly. She was still worried about Kevin. She might not know that much about him, but she can relate to him in a way. She knew how it felt to always be compared to her family. Always being expected to live up to certain expectations against her own will. Even after years of training not being appreciated.

"_No I can't think like that anymore,"_ Laura thought while shaking her head out of those old memories, _"I left that world and I'm not looking back."_

Laura kept her head down, staring at the sidewalk as she continued on her way. Doing so, she accidentally bumped her shoulder against a man walking the other direction.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir. I wasn't paying attention," she apologized to the man. The strange man was staring down at her angrily. He had bluish-black spiked hair and icy blue eyes. He was wearing a thick winter coat, which seemed odd to Laura since the city was technically in its summer season. He also had some type of cloth covering his mouth.

"Little girls like you shouldn't even be out this late. Why don't you scram and go home child," the man said to her coldly.

"Jerk," Laura huffed quietly and turned to walk away. The man continued to stare angrily at her as she walked away. His eyes then widened when he noticed her two blades strapped to her back. Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist to stop her and pulled her two him to get a better look at the weapons.

"Let me go, dammit!" Laura yelled at him as she struggled to get out of his grip, but he was too strong. The man didn't even acknowledge her words as he continued to look over the blades. He pulled one out of the sheath slightly enough to show a small portion of the metal.

"These swords, they were made by the Knights, am I right?" the man questioned her. Laura continued to stare angrily at the man and continued her struggle.

"And not just any group of Knights," he continued without loosening his grip, "the Knights belonging to the Cross family," Laura's eyes went wide at this. How did he know about her family?

"Well I'll be damned; you're the young daughter of Ely Cross," the man finally stated with what sounded like humor in his voice. The mention of her father finally drove her over the edge. She delivered a kick to the man's stomach which caused him to finally release his grip on her.

"Ah, I made the little girl mad," the man mocked.

"How do you know that?" She questioned him, keeping her hand at her sword to use them if needed.

"I fought many Knights when I was still in the Plumbers. I know a bit about them," he stated obviously to her.

"You're an Ex-Plumber?" Laura questioned.

"Yes, but I still remember enough from those days to know that those two swords would fetch a high price on the black market…or maybe they would prove useful to our cause," the man explained to her.

"You're one of the rioters," Laura said with realization at his words, "I'm not letting you take these!"

"Don't be difficult girl, just give me the swords and you go home without being hurt," he told her as he stretched out his arm, as though asking her to hand her the weapons. Laura merely took one of her blades out and held it out defensive in front of her. The man let out a heavy sigh.

"I really don't want to fight a little girl," the man stated aloud. Laura watched closely as the man reached up to the cloth around his mouth and pulled it down, "But you really leave me with no choice," he said menacingly to her. Laura was shocked by his sharp, shark-like teeth and how some kind of vapor puffed out of his mouth every time he spoke. The man then took in a big inhale of air. He then let a large amount a vapor towards the girl. Laura quickly rolled out-of-the-way of the attack. She looked back and saw a sheet of solid ice where she once stood.

"_Vapor that can produce ice? It's identical to the abilities of a Polar Manzardill," _she thought to herself.

"Come on now," the man said, breaking her out of her thoughts, "You can't be too surprised. I'm sure you've seen plenty of human-alien hybrids here." Laura merely sneered at his taunting. She then stood up and raced towards the hybrid with her blade raised to strike. As she swung it down, the man jumped out-of-the-way.

"Oooh, you're a feisty one aren't you," the man mocked. Laura took her and swung it at him again, but he moved out-of-the-way again. "But you're still too inexperienced," he said as he grabbed the back of her shirt collar and yanked her back, sending her tumbling against the hard pavement. The hybrid then quickly exhaled a blast of vapor. It hit her sword which was on the ground in front of her, freezing the steel blade to the ground.

"No!" Laura exclaimed as she tried to free from the ice by yanking at the handle.

"You should've have just handed the swords over. It would've been easier for you," he stated to her coldly. Laura still just stared angrily at him, "Oh well, too bad for you," he finished as he began to reach out to grab her. Then a decent sized rock collided with the back of his skull.

"The hell!?" the man said rubbing the back of his head. He turned to see Kevin a few feet behind him throwing another rock up in the air and catching it when it came back down. Laura felt relieved when she also saw him.

"You know, Laura," Kevin said, "I figured you could handle a simple walk back home and don't expect me to save your ass every time. However, I'll make this time an exception," he finished, taking the rock in his hand and absorbing the stone to cover half his arm.

"An Osmosian, that's interesting," the man stated, seeing the boy's power. Kevin then charged at him. The man breathed another blast of freezing vapor at him, but Kevin dodged it easily and delivered a strong punch to the man's jaw, sending him flying back and colliding with the ground. Kevin then went over to Laura and, using his stone fist, freed her blade from its icy prison.

"Thanks," she said to him, looking over her sword.

"No problem, it looked like you could have used some help," Kevin said to her turning back to face the hybrid. The man was now standing back up.

"We need to be careful. His powers could freeze us instantly," Laura explained to Kevin. Kevin merely smirked.

"Well, let's finish him quickly then," Kevin said. He then raced towards the man again. The man saw this and hastily moved past the boy to dodge. However he was then kicked in his ribs by Laura, who had taken the opportunity to strike. The man stumbled back a bit by the force of the blow. He couldn't relax though, for Kevin had taken another opportunity to land a punch to his face. The man was sent back from the punch and collided with a building behind him. He fell to the ground.

"Do you give," Kevin said as he walked up to him. The man didn't answer as he looked down at the ground. "I don't really understand the point of attacking us. Care to explain?" Kevin questioned him. The man didn't answer, but shot his head up to exhale more vapor at the boy. Kevin quickly raised his stone arm in defense. The vapor hit his arm and froze it instantly. Kevin fell to the ground screaming in pain.

"Kevin!" Laura exclaimed as she watched him fall to the ground.

"You talk big, especially for some kid who doesn't know anything," the hybrid said menacingly as he glared down at the boy on the ground. Kevin glared back at him. "Everything I do is for the people of this city, don't you forget that," the man finished.

"So to help people you have to beat up and rob two random kids. Yeah, that makes perfect sense," Kevin snarled at him. The man glared angrily at him, vapor was seeping out of his mouth through his clenched teeth. Before he could do anything, Kevin saw the man's eyes briefly glance to the side and he jumped away from the boy. Kevin then saw what he was dodging as a shot of red lightning sped past him.

"You," Kevin heard the man say. Kevin turned his head to the side. He saw a man, about in his early twenties standing a few feet away. He was wearing very casual attire, jeans and a black jacket over a dark blue t-shirt. He had lengthy black hair, not as long as Kevin's though, and his bangs covered his eyes, but Kevin could still see them. They were as red as blood.

"_Red lighting and red eyes,"_ Kevin thought fearfully, remembering his nightmare.

"Fighting children, Randall," the red-eyed man said while shaking his head, "You're becoming pathetic."

"Well, I'll make up for that by beating that smirk of your face!" Randall exclaimed as he rushed towards him with his fist raised. The red-eyed man stood motionless. Randall was just about to hit him when the man caught his fist in her hand. Randall then tried to breathe his freezing vapor on him, but the man stopped by using his free hand to cover his mouth. The man then forced Randall down to the ground hard, cracking the ground upon impact. The man then took Randall's shirt collar in his hand and threw him behind him. Randall tumbled against the ground. The man then shot a blast of red lighting at him from his hand. The lighting hit Randall square in the chest. Randall was sent back even more and collided with a streetlight, which bended upon impact. Randall fell to the ground, unconscious. Laura kneeled over Kevin watching the scene with utter shock and amazement. Kevin looked about the same as he held his injured arm.

"Who is that guy?" Kevin asked aloud.

"His name is Duncan," Laura answered him.

"You know him?" Kevin questioned further.

"Not me personally, but my uncle does," Laura answered him again. Duncan then walked over to the two. He kneeled down in front of them.

"Laura, are you and your friend alright?" Duncan questioned the girl.

"Yes, were fine…well sort of," Laura replied as she looked down at Kevin frozen arm. Duncan looked down at it as well. He reached and grabbed hold of it as he continued to examine it. Kevin watched him carefully.

"Laura, show me your blade," Duncan said to the girl. Laura did as she was told and extended her sward out to him. Duncan took the steel blade carefully between two of his fingers and the two children watched as he absorbs enough of the material to just cover his hand. Duncan took his steel hand, and, with one hard whack, used it to break of the ice-covered stone from Kevin's arm.

"There you go," Duncan said to the boy with a smile as he released his arm, "That should feel better."

"Thanks," Kevin said as he looked over his arm.

"Are you a friend of Laura's," Duncan asked the boy.

"Actually, he's been taken in by my uncle. He's living with us now," Laura answered for him.

"Heh, your uncle's kind heart wouldn't let him resist," Duncan said with a chuckle, "Anyway, in case Laura hasn't already told, my names' Duncan," he said to Kevin as he extended his hand to shake. Kevin looked at his hand for a minute before answering.

"Kevin," he finally replied taking Duncan's hand. Duncan noticed the boy's expression towards him as he talked.

"What's wrong?" Duncan asked him. Kevin was silent. Duncan then chuckled at the boy. "It's probably my eyes," he said pointing to his red orbs, "The color often startles people."

"That's not it," Kevin said to him, "It's just, what you did to that guy…your powers," he finished looking over to where Randall laid.

"Ah, there's that too," Duncan said, also looking over towards the unconscious man, "People are often frightened by what they don't understand. However, I didn't expect it to bother you, seeing that you are an Osmosian yourself. Then again, you are still relatively young," he continued to explain. Kevin was a little bit surprised by the man's words. After all, Kevin knew what it felt like to be outcast by people because of his own similar abilities.

"Alright," Duncan began as he stood back up. Kevin and Laura followed suit, "I should take you two back to Gilliam. He's probably worried."

"What about him?" Laura asked, motioning towards Randall.

"He won't stay unconscious for long. We should leave before he wakes up," Duncan replied and began to walk away. The two kids looked back at the unconscious man one more time before following right behind the red-eyed man.

* * *

Gilliam sat behind the counter of his now closed shop. He was leaning with his head against his hand and rubbing his brow with worry. Both Laura and Kevin had been out for a while now. He knew that those two were strong and resourceful enough to take care of themselves, but he still felt a sense of worry for them, much like a doting father.

"Have they not come back yet?" Vanessa asked him from the doorway behind him.

"I'm sure they're fine. Those two are strong," Gilliam answered her comfortingly.

"Still, being out this late at night, what if they get into trouble? The rioters of the Order love to prowl the streets at this time," Vanessa told him. Gilliam listened to her words as he played with the golden medallion that hung around his neck. He was about to answer her when the sound of the front door opening stopped him.

"We're home," Laura's quiet voice called out to them as she and Kevin walked through the door. Duncan followed closely behind. Gilliam sighed with relief at the children's appearance, but his eyes immediately fell upon Duncan as he walked in.

"Welcome back kids," Vanessa said as she walked over to them, "What happened to you two?" she then asked as she noticed the few scratches on them.

"We kinda got into a fight," Kevin answered her, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he did.

"They ran into Randall while walking along the streets," Duncan clarified.

"That reckless fool," Gilliam added at the mention of the name.

"I told you there were rioters out on the streets," Vanessa said to her husband. Gilliam shot a slightly annoyed looked at her. He then let out a heavy sigh.

"Kids, why don't you go upstairs? I'm sure you're tired," Gilliam told the two children. Kevin and Laura both nodded in understanding. Vanessa then took the two upstairs. Before he walked upstairs though, Kevin glanced back to look at Duncan one more time. Duncan stared back and the two Osmosian locked eyes for brief second. Kevin then turned back to walk up the stairs.

"That boy," Duncan began after the three left the room. Gilliam turned to face him, "He's Devin's son, right," Duncan finished. Gilliam stared at him in silence for a brief minute before speaking again.

"Yes," Gilliam answered, he step out from behind the counter and leaned up against the front of it, "I want to thank you for bring them back home. However, I would also like to know why you were out wandering the streets and just happened to come across them," Gilliam asked him sternly.

"Pure luck I guess. I just decided to take a walk to clear my mind and I just so happened to come across," Duncan explained with a shrug and a smile. Gilliam continued his silent gaze at the younger man. Duncan just chuckled at the older Knight.

"Come on, Gilliam. When are you going to stop treating me like a child and trust me?" Duncan asked the man while shaking his head.

"Trust isn't the problem," Gilliam stated to him, "It's my job to watch your actions. You know that."

"Yeah, yeah," Duncan said as he rolled his eyes, "Because the Plumbers still are uptight about my 'mistakes'."

"They have reasons to be that way. Your 'mistakes' could have cost you so much more if I hadn't intervened," Gilliam stated sternly to the man. Duncan gazed down at the floor.

"I'm paying for all that now," Duncan said blatantly, "But I live on my own, make my own means, I would think you could have more faith in me. Devin did," Duncan finished and turned to head out the door. His final statement struck Gilliam hard as he gazed sadly upon the young man.

"Duncan," Gilliam said loudly to him. Duncan turned slightly at the open door, "Thank you, again."

"No problem, Gilliam. Good night," Duncan replied with a smile and walked out the door. Gilliam let out a heavy sigh as Duncan left. Why is whenever that boy comes over, Gilliam get an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach? Outside, Duncan was casually making his way home.

"_Devin's own flesh and blood,"_ Duncan thought to himself as he walked, _"Never thought I would have such a meeting. This will be interesting," _he smirked at the thought as he continued walking down the street.

* * *

On the roof of the building, Kevin was looking down at the street through the chain link fence, watching Duncan leave. Kevin eyes were narrowed as he continued to eye the man.

"Something wrong?" Kevin turned to see Laura standing behind him.

"Besides you constantly sneaking up on me," Kevin joked. Laura smiled and shook her head. She then walked up next to him to also look down at the street below.

"Do you not trust him?" Laura asked when she saw Duncan below. Kevin shrugged.

"It's not that," he began, "It's just…odd. I've never really met another Osmosian like me before," Kevin explained, deciding not to mention his nightmare.

"Really?" Laura questioned, slightly confused, "What about your dad? I thought he was an Osmosian too?" Kevin let out a slight chuckle.

"My dad died when I was only three. I didn't even know anything about the Plumbers or what an Osmosian even was. Plus, it's not like he was around to teach me," Kevin explained while wearing a sad smile and leaning his head against the fence.

"But you still admired him," Laura added as she leaned with her back against the fence.

"Yeah, mom would tell about what he did. I just figured that I would never be able to live up to him," Kevin said solemnly.

"That's why you left," Laura stated. Kevin shrugged again.

"That's partially why," Kevin began, Laura looked at him in confusion, "My mom married some other guy when I was four. Harvey, that's his name. He tried to be my father, but he wasn't, and I was angry at him and my mother for trying to replace him. When my powers appeared, I knew Harvey feared me, so that didn't really help anything. A few years later, I accidentally lost control of my powers and in turn Harvey kicked me out in fear. That's it, I've been on my own ever since," Kevin finished explaining. Laura had listened carefully to his story. She did feel sad for him, but she didn't want to show it, knowing that he didn't want the pity.

"Life sure seems cruel, especially if it involves your family," Laura stated aloud.

"Surely your life couldn't have been as shitty as mine," Kevin joked. Laura chuckled a bit.

"Wanna bet," she stated abruptly to him, "Everything was expected of me since the moment I was born. There were standards that had to be upheld."

"Standards?" Kevin questioned.

"My family, the Cross family, we're one of the most respected and praised families within the Knights. I was constantly trained to meet those high expectations. I was taught to master our family's ancient art of wielding two blades and I was a natural at it. People praised me, saying how I was a prodigy at such a young age," Laura explained further.

"That's quite a burden," Kevin added. Laura nodded a little. "Is that why you don't really like fighting?" Kevin asked her.

"I don't hate fighting," Laura stated, "I hated not having the choice, whether to fight or not. Because of my family's legacy, I was never allowed to act like a real kid. It was just constant training and fighting and I began to hate every minute of it. In turn, I began to resent my own parents, because they were the ones that kept me in that place. My father was the worst, always yelling and punishing me when I didn't get one tiny thing right," Laura continued. Kevin saw how she was trying to hold back her tears at the memories.

"But you got out," Kevin stated to her to cheer her up.

"Yeah, I did," Laura said with a smile, "My happiest time were when my uncle would visit me back then. He saw how miserable I was and I guess there just came a point where he could just watch anymore. He already knows the heavy burden our family has and how it feels to disappoint them, since he abruptly left the Knight to be a Plumber. One day, he came over and managed to convince my father to let him take care of me from then on. Not like it was very hard to do, my father practically gave me away. So, I left my family to live with my aunt and uncle, and I never looked back," Laura finished explaining with a heavy sigh. Kevin stared at her in silence for a few minutes. He thought that it must have been hard for her to tell him all that without breaking down. He underestimated this girl. He then chuckled a bit to break the silence.

"Looks like we both got pretty messed up lives," Kevin joked as his gaze shifted back to look over the city.

"It would appear so," Laura replied with a smile as she turned her head to look at him, "But it's not so bad, when you think about it now."

"How so?" Kevin questioned glancing at her from the side.

"Well, even though this place is technically a prison, it gives people with broken lives the opportunity to start fresh. I'm not saying that it's perfect, but it's just enough for people like us. I mean it can't be any worse than what we had before," Laura explained as she glanced out at the city.

"Did you quote those wise words from your uncle?" Kevin joked with her.

"Actually, I read it off of his desk calendar," Laura joked back. Kevin laughed lightly. "Anyway, it's getting late. We should head back inside," Laura said as she started to walk away.

"Yeah, yeah," Kevin replied.

"Oh, by the way, Kevin," Laura began.

"Hmmm," Kevin acknowledged her. Before he knew he felt her sweep his legs out from under him. He landed on the hard stone roof with a loud "ouch".

"What the hell, Laura!" Kevin exclaimed angrily as he rubbed his aching head.

"What? Now we're even," Laura said innocently as she looked down at him. Kevin just stared at her, annoyed. She only laughed and walked back towards the doorway and back downstairs. Kevin sat on the ground for a minute, watching the girl leave. He then shook his head and chuckled softly.

"Crazy chick," Kevin muttered to himself as he stood back. He turned his head to look out at the city one more time.

"_A new home, new friends, a new family, and some decent excitement; Maybe this place won't be so bad after all," _Kevin thought to himself. He then turned to walk back downstairs, to be with his new family.

**Why do I keep making myself write such long chapters? Well, we got to meet some new character, learn some things about them, and got a bit of action in there too. You know what I'm happy. I'm already loving this story and I'm loving you guys for reading it. For those who don't know a Polar Manzardill in the Ben 10 universe is the species the Articguana is from Ben 10,000 and Freezelizard if you familiar with Omniverse.  
**

**Please leave reviews.**


	4. Ch 4: The White Wolf

**I'm so excited about introducing more new characters. Just so you guys know, this is a story that has been in my mind for some time and it's just so great to see come to life on the page. **

**I do not own Ben 10**

ABC = Talking

_ABC = Thoughts or Flashbacks_

_Chapter 4: The White Wolf_

It was dark out, eerily dark. The false full moon above was the only source of light upon the Null city. On this night, two soldiers stood inside of the perimeter of the plumber's base. They were assigned to guard duty tonight. One soldier walked around the perimeter slightly, making sure nothing was getting in or out. The soldier then let out a heavy sigh and turn to walk back to his original post, in front of an entrance.

"Another quiet night," the soldier stated aloud to his partner jokingly, his head lowered. There was no reply. He looked up and saw that the young soldier was leaning against the wall. He looked as though he was falling asleep.

"Hey, wake up rookie!" the soldier said, using two fingers to poke the other soldier's head. The young soldier woke up with a start. He soon relaxed at the sight of the older soldier.

"Ah, sorry sir! I guess I just nodded off for a bit," the young soldier explained.

"You should be better prepared for these long nights," the older man said with a chuckle, "What is this, your first night on patrol?" he asked.

"Second actually," the rookie replied. This just made the soldier laugh some more.

"Yeah, well I don't actually blame you for nearly falling asleep, rookie," the man stated as he leaned against the wall as well, "Nights like these can be pretty boring."

"Nobody ever tries to break in?" the rookie questioned.

"Not on any of my patrols," the man replied.

"Man," the rookie let out a heavy sigh, "I was hoping for some action. Like maybe the rioters I've heard a lot about."

"You want to go up against them. You've got guts," the man stated. Then the conversation was interrupted by a loud blaring alarm from the building.

"What the hell is that!?" the rookie asked.

"The alarm! Come on, circle the building!" the man shouted in command, pulling out his gun.

"Yes sir!" the rookie shouted back, also pulling out his weapon. The two soldiers ran around to the back of the building, where the alarm was sounding. They pointed their guns outward as they scanned the area.

"What's going on? There's nothing out here!" the older soldier shouted.

"Maybe they're already inside!" the younger soldier suggested. The older man was about to reply, when the sound of shattering glass startled them. They turned and saw a figure jumped from one of the third level windows. The figure landed with unnatural grace on the ground below, along with the shards of broken glass.

"Hold it right there!" the young soldier commanded pointing his gun at him, along with the older man, "Put your hands up now!" he commanded again. This time the figure glared directly at him. The darkness shrouded the figure, making it difficult to see who or what it was, but it was clearly not human. Its shape looked more animal, canine to be precise, and it had glowing gold eyes that shone bright in the pitch black night. The soldiers were trembling under its gaze.

"W…what the hell is that!" the older man exclaimed. The figure then began to stand, causing the soldiers fear to rise even more.

"Stay away!" the young soldier cried as he fired his weapon at the beast. The beast ran towards the soldier. He was fast enough to dodge the bullets.

"Kid, run!" the older soldier exclaimed. The rookie couldn't move he was paralyzed with fear as the golden-eyed beast got closer and closer. He could almost feel the creature's hot breath and could clearly hear the snarls coming from his throat. The creature was only an inch away when the soldier felt someone shove him out-of-the-way. He looked over and saw that the older soldier had pushed him.

The creature collided with the man's shoulder. The man felt the bone of his shoulder shatter from the impact. This beast was incredibly strong. As the beast passed him, the man could only stare fearfully into those frightening golden eyes before falling to the ground in pain. The beast kept running. He reached the perimeter wall and began to climb.

"No!" the rookie exclaimed as he fired more bullets at the creature. One bullet managed to graze his shoulder. The beast growled in pain, but it didn't stop scaling the wall. He continued to climb until he was able to jump across to another building, effectively escaping the area. The young soldier then ran over to his injured partner.

"Hey! You alright!?" he asked frantically.

"The blood…did you see it?" the man on the ground asked him.

"Blood? Y...yeah, I managed to hit him," the rookie replied in a confused manner.

"No, not that," the older man replied as he clutched his shattered shoulder, "There was already blood on that thing's claws," he explained further pointing to the wall. The rookie looked over and saw the red substance drip from where the beast had climbed.

"You're right," the young man stated in shock. He then turned his gaze to the broken window, where the beast first appeared. "What the hell happened in there?"

Meanwhile, the large creature was still running across the rooftops of the city. He was still trying to get away. He never wanted to go back and no one could make him. He'd make of sure of that. He finally stopped to catch his breath, making sure he was far enough away for now. He sat up on his haunches and was panting heavily. His pants were also being mix in with snarls as he sat there. He then looked down at his fur covered hand. He could see the red blood staining his otherwise pure white fur under the moonlight. His body began tremble at the unpleasant memories of the night.

"_I did it," _the thought fearfully to himself. Images of the previous events began to flash in his mind. _"I…killed…him," _he continued saying to himself. Images of a man lying dead on the floor came to mind. The strong scent of fresh blood came with the memory. Terrified screams were heard along with the sound of an alarm, followed closely by the shattering of glass.

"_Monster….Monster….Monster,"_ the word kept repeating in his mind as his body trembled even more. His fist then clenched tightly and he snarled like any wild beast would. He couldn't contain it any longer. His head snapped up towards the moon and he let out a monstrous wolf howl. A howl filled to the brim with fear and pain.

_When it comes down to it, what is the real difference between man and beast?_

* * *

"Mason, what information did you get?" a general asked as he stood at the doorway of a blocked off building. He looked to be in his mid-forties and had strong look to him, appropriate for any leader of his age. He had ashy-blond hair, cut into a crew cut fashion. His eyes were the darkest shade of brown, giving him a stern yet cold stare. He was burly looking in muscle form and a square jaw to match. Overall he looked like the perfectly molded soldier.

"Not much, Kronos. It seems they don't know much about what was here or even what goes on inside this place," the young man, named Mason, replied. Mason was definitely much younger than the general, only being twenty-one. Still, despite his young age, he appeared to be in peak physical form with a thin and muscular body with tan skin. His had dirty blond hair and looked much more shaggy and unkempt. His eyes were his most striking feature. They were a distinct mixture of green and blue, with something hidden underneath. Something fierce and animal-like.

"The veteran is being looked over by the medics, so I couldn't really question him," Mason continued to explain. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket. He quickly lit it and continued his speech, "But I was able to speak to the rookie. He described it as some large canine, but that's about it," he finished as he smoked the cigarette.

"Alright, let's just head inside. They're probably waiting for us," Kronos stated impatiently and turned to head inside the building, "And put that out! I've told you a hundred times not to smoke at a crime scene," he finished in annoyance and walked inside.

"Come on," Mason said with a chuckle. He then took his the cigarette and crushed it in his hand, effectively putting it out. "You can't even let me finish," he stated as he threw the bud to ground. He then followed his superior inside.

The two were led up to the third floor of the building. The halls of the building were lined with soldier and worried scientists being question. There were others too, but they didn't look like soldiers or scientists. These strangers kept yelling obscurities, asking out all the soldiers or the earlier commotion that had happened. The soldiers desperately tried to calm them. Mason narrowed his eyes as he glanced around.

"You know I don't like labs, Kronos," Mason stated aloud, his voice sounding strained, "Too many bad memories."

"I know," Kronos replied with sincerity, "But our jobs often put us in places that disturb our minds," he stated blatantly.

"Still, the atmosphere here is filled with an unnatural amount of hate and betrayal. Such feelings really bother me," Mason stated solemnly. The two finally made to a guarded door. On the door was a sign that read "Lab Room 7: Subject 15."

"Well, if my hunch is correct, those feelings you're sensing probably are coming from what's behind this door," Kronos stated. The guards saluted the two as they approached and quickly opened the door for them. They stepped inside.

"Shit, I hate it when you're right," Mason stated solemnly as he entered.

The inside of the room looked like hell. A struggle had apparently happened here. Shredded document line the floors along with overturned or destroyed metal desks a chairs. Vials were shattered with the substances inside them strewn about on the floor and broken lab equipment. In one corner was a large cell that took up most of the room. The metal door was open but the metal bars around it were bent, obviously by something of great strength. The inside of the cell had deep claw marks lining the wall and a bed lying in shreds. Whatever creature was being held in there was apparent desperate to escape this place.

Kronos turned his attention to a small group of soldiers surrounding what looked like a covered body. Kronos cringed a little at the sight, knowing what it meant. Crouch over the body was a lieutenant. Though he could not see the man's face, he instantly knew who he was.

"Lieutenant Grant," Kronos called out to him, "should've have known that you and your department would get here first," he finished with slight humor. Grant turned to greet the general. He was wearing a somber face, but it immediately formed into a small smile at the sight of his friend.

"General Kronos, Mason, it's good to see you both. I do wish it was under better circumstances," Grant replied as he stood up. Kronos could also see the folder in his hands. A document?

"We wish that as well, I'm sure," Mason spoke, "but I thought you were still investigating those homicide cases around the city. What they doing putting you here?" Mason questioned.

"Those cases are still turning up cold. Until we find decisive evidence to get us on track, the higher-ups have been sending me and my department all over the place," Grant replied with a shrug. Kronos was silent. He looked back over to the covered body and slowly walked over to it.

"When did this happen?" Kronos asked as he kneeled over the body.

"The coroner made an approximate guess of about three hours ago," Grant replied.

"Do mind if I take a look?" Kronos asked the lieutenant.

"If you want. I'll tell you, it ain't a pretty sight," Grant answered hesitantly. Kronos let out a heavy sigh and lift the covering off of the body. He cringed a bit as his looked upon the deceased figure. It was a middle-aged man. He looked like one of the scientists working at the lab. Four deep claw marks had ripped open his flesh. The attack appeared to have come from down his shoulder to the center of his chest, slashing his throat open in the process. Dried blood covered his lab coat and skin and dripped from his mouth onto the floor. His eyes were open but still looked dead and his face wore his final expression of shock.

"Dammit," Mason said aloud in shock.

"The coroner came in and said that it had ended quickly, due to the massive loss of blood. It was his assistant that triggered the alarm," Grant explained further.

"Where is his assistant now?" Kronos questioned, hoping to get more information.

"He didn't sustain too many injuries, however he's still in quite the state of shock and isn't giving us any decent information," Grant explained.

"Well," Kronos began as he stood back up, "The attacker probably was only focused on the professor here. At the sound of the alarm, it probably ran away. Lucky for the assistant."

"Also, I don't think this was an intentional killing," Mason added solemnly. Grant and Kronos both turned their attention to the young man, "Believe me, I know these kinds of scenes. If it was intentional, his throat wouldn't even be there. It'd be completely ripped off. My guess is that whatever creature that did this was afraid of something…or maybe the creator and his creation were disagreeing on something," Mason finished.

"That's quite the assumption, boy," a smug voice said from behind him. Mason sharply turned, snarling as he did. He instantly recognized that voice.

"Darius, what do you want?" Kronos asked immediately, noticing his young partner's expression. Darius was a burly looking man. He had grayish black hair and a shaggy unshaven beard to match. His black eyes looked especially cold; however they also had a clouded look to them, perhaps a sign of recent intoxication.

"My job, general," Darius snapped at him, but keeping his smug smile, "I am a guard here after all. This sort of tragedy was brought immediately to my attention."

"Yes, you're very good at your job apparently," Grant stated sarcastically, "Just look at this place," he added looking back down at the scene.

"Is it my fault that the professor here likes to deal with these dangerous beasts?" Darius questioned with a shrug.

"The man might have put himself at risk, but it was still your duty to keep these sorts of incidents from happening!" Mason stated angrily, "Instead you go out and sit in the bar for hours, judging by the smell of alcohol on your breath," he finished cringing in disgust. He could smell the hard odor of liquor coming from the man. Darius turned to face the young man with a cold stare.

"Even if I was here at the time, would there have been anything else I could've done," Darius began in a threatening tone, "The professor was working with chimeras. They're dangerous and ferocious freaks of science and nature. They can also be very unpredictable in their animalistic forms," he continued, stepping closer to him. Darius stopped just in front of the young man's face. The two glared into the other's eyes.

"You of all people should know that. Isn't that right…dragon blood," Darius finished with a smug grin. Mason snarled fiercely at the man, showing of the fangs he had. His eyes also turned into a brighter green color and appeared reptilian in form. Kronos quickly intervened.

"That's enough, Darius!" Kronos said, pushing the man away from Mason, "Is there something you need from us?" he asked sternly.

"Yes, actually," Darius replied. He then turned to face Grant, "Those documents in your hand, may I see them?" he asked pointing to the folder in Grant's hand. Grant glanced down at the documents. He then hesitantly handed them over to the man.

"Looking for something specific?" Grant asked, watching Darius open up the folder. Darius's eyes scanned the page before he spoke again.

"You have to know everything you can about the animal your tracking. That way you can be able to find them more easily. That's the first rule of hunting," Darius explained. He then closed the folder and threw it back to Grant. Grant caught it easily and opened it to look inside.

"The chimera has been running all night. It's probably near the south side of the city by now," Darius stated. He then began to walk out of the room. "General Kronos, I would like any information about the target to be directed to me immediately," he stated to the general.

"Of course," Kronos replied disdainfully.

"Darius! What will do with the chimera, once you find him?" Mason asked angrily. Darius let out a low laugh at his question.

"Why would you ask a question like that?" Darius questioned mockingly, "You already know the answer," with that last statement he walked away from the group, out of the room.

"Why that son of a…" Mason began to growl.

"Calm yourself, Mason! There's nothing you can do about it," Kronos said to the young man calmly, putting a hand on his shoulder. Mason shoved him away, snarling slightly.

"How can you be okay with this!? I mean….just killing it. It doesn't bode well with someone like me," Mason explained in a solemn tone.

"I don't like either and I understand your personal feelings about this," Kronos began in a softer tone, "But this is the way things are. We do this protect people and keep the city in order," he finished, yet his tone suggested that even he did not believe his own words. He saw the look on Mason's face. The young man wore a mixed expression of anger and sadness as he stared down at the floor. Kronos's hard eyes softened a bit at this.

"Grant, what do you think about this?" Kronos asked as he turned to face the lieutenant. Grant was silent for minute, still staring down at the open folder in his hand. His expression was also that of mixed sadness.

"Normally, I would agree with you and go with a soldier answer. However, I feel myself agreeing with mason, given the circumstances," Grant replied blatantly.

"Hmm?" Kronos said in confusion. Grant held out the folder for Kronos to take.

"Take a look at this. It's an interesting read," Grant stated as Kronos took the folder. He opened it to the page that Grant was reading before. A look of shock appeared on his face as he read. Mason looked over Kronos's shoulder to also read the page. Shock also appeared on his face.

"That's insane!" Mason exclaimed as he read the page. He then turned towards the doorway, "Sir, I know this might be going against orders, but I can't just…"

"Go!" Kronos interrupted, "Track down the chimera, but do interfere with anything. At least not until you think it's necessary. Now!" Kronos commanded him. Mason was slightly surprised by the general's sudden command, and then a smirk formed on his face.

"Right away sir," Mason said in acknowledgement. He then bolted out of the room.

"It's unthinkable, that people would sink to such lows," Grant stated aloud an almost ashamed tone as the young man left.

"It's not entirely uncommon, if you really think about it," Kronos replied blatantly as he looked down at the folder. "Anton Crier, only twelve years old," he read aloud from the page.

"It's hard enough for some adults to go through the chimera process, but some kid…" Grant spoke while shaking his head.

"Desperation can cause a man to do unspeakable things, and he'll always think what he is doing is justified until the very end," Kronos began as he closed the folder. He then looked down to the lifeless body on the floor.

"Still, no matter how this would have ended, being either living or dead, the professor here would have been left with nothing," Kronos stated solemnly, as he gazed upon the body with sad eyes, "Am I right, professor Crier."

* * *

It had become mid-morning in the city. Citizens were now busy traveling the streets with their daily lives. Shops and cafes had opened for the day and local merchants stall lined the streets with produce and other miscellaneous things. It was a quiet morning…kinda.

"Come back here, you brat!" an angry man yelled out to his fleeing target. Kevin glanced back at his chaser and laughed amusingly.

"Heh, the old merchant really is pissed," Kevin muttered to himself as he ran through the crowds of the sidewalk. He was carrying a small bag on his back of market apples, which he had swiped from the man's cart. "Still, doesn't mean that he can keep up," Kevin stated with a proud smile.

He continued to run. Kevin was skillfully able to maneuver through the bustling crowds, having practiced with the greater crowds of New York. He glanced back briefly again. He saw the merchant nearly tripping and pushing people out of his way to get to his target. Kevin smirked and looked ahead. Kevin then saw the streets ahead, lined with cars speeding by.

"_This is going to be close,"_ Kevin thought to himself, sweating a bit. His gaze became determined as he raced towards the busy street.

The man saw the street ahead of the boy and smirked, thinking he would stop. To his surprise, the boy didn't. Kevin made his first step into the street. He was lucky, there no cars coming at the moment for right lane. However, the left lane was different. Kevin saw the car coming as he got closer to the lane, but he couldn't stop now. He continued running to the other side. The car was now coming into his view. Kevin then jumped. His hand came in contact with the car's hood and he rolled across the cool surface. The merchant watched, shocked by the boy's reckless nature. Kevin rolled across the hood and landed on the other side of the street. He tumbled on the hard ground, but got back up on his feet. He rubbed his head slightly from a minor ache. He then noticed the merchant standing on the other side of the street as more cars sped by. Kevin noticed the dumbfounded expression he wore. A big smirk appeared Kevin's face and he gave the man a two-finger salute before running off into the crowd. After running for a little while longer, Kevin rested in the entrance of a nearby alley.

"Knew it, the old man couldn't keep up the pace," he boasted to himself. Kevin sat down on the hard ground and looked inside his bag at the items he took. He had only stolen five apples, nowhere near what use to steal before coming to this city.

"Easy picking," Kevin stated aloud, pulling out one of the apples. He threw it up into the air. He was then surprised by a sword stabbing the apple in the air. His expression then turned to annoyance when he instantly recognized the blade.

"What do you think you're doing?" Laura's stern voice asked him. Kevin turned his head to meet the girl's questioning gaze.

"Well, I was going to eat that before you stabbed it," Kevin replied simply as he pulled out another piece of fruit.

"You stole these, didn't you?" Laura asked simply, pulling the apple off of her blade. She didn't seem surprised at all by the answer.

"What are you, my keeper?" Kevin snapped back in reply, "It's only five pieces of fruit. What's the big deal?"

"The problem is every time my uncle gives us a day off you run off into the city getting into trouble!" Laura scolded him," I thought you wanted to change, from what you were before," she added in a softer voice.

"Look, I didn't hurt anybody and I didn't steal anything of real value, like money," Kevin replied simply, "I didn't expect to be completely different from what I was, but trust me, I have changed a little," he finished as he took a bite out of the apple. Laura stared at him silently for a minute before letting out a heavy sigh.

"Whatever, it's not you'll listen to any scolding either I or my uncle can give you," Laura said almost jokingly as she sheathed her blade. She then leaned against the wall and began to eat her apple as well.

"I don't just come out here to steal, you know," Kevin stated to her.

"Is that so," Laura said amusingly.

"It's not often that Gilliam gives a full free day from training and I like going out into the city. It better than sitting around at home all day," Kevin explained as he looked out the alleyway, watching the people walk by. It was true, in the three months that Kevin had been here, he would spend most days either training with Gilliam or helping out in the shop. Gilliam kept his promise and trained the young boy in fighting, helping him to powers to their advantage. Kevin would also be given lessons on Plumber and Forever Knight tech. Kevin was proven smart; he was beginning to be able to identify certain weapons and their level types with ease. He and Laura would also spar often and practice their newly learned techniques, under Gilliam's watchful eye of course. They would have breaks in between lesson, but full days of no teachings like this were welcome for them.

"It makes sense that you like the city, seeing how you spend a good time on the streets of New York," Laura stated simply with a smile. Kevin let out a low laugh.

"Yeah, well I won't say those good times, but I do enjoy the excitement of the streets," Kevin explained as he looked to the ground, "I think I mainly come here waiting for something like that to happen," he finished with a faint smile. Then, a loud shriek caused his head to snap up. He turned his head to the alley entrance and saw people running past. They appeared to either be running away from or towards something.

"Looks like you're getting your wish," Laura said as she saw the people race by, "Come on!" she exclaimed as she sped out of the alley. Kevin threw the fruit he was holding aside and quickly followed her.

The two ran out to sidewalk, following the crowd. They stopped for a minute. In front of them was a crowd of people surrounding some kind of scene in the middle of the street.

"What happened?" Kevin said in a low whisper. The two kids shot worried looks at each other. Laura then ran ahead of Kevin to get closer to the scene. Kevin calmly followed her. Laura came up behind the crowd where she noticed an old woman she knew who ran a shop nearby.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Laura said to her. The old woman turned her worried look to the girl.

"You children should head home, it's dangerous out here," the old woman said to her.

"Why? Did something happen?" Kevin asked as he approached the two. The old woman turned her gaze back to the scene ahead. Kevin and Laura also tuned to look upon the scene. Two cars had collided harshly in the middle of the street. Plumber patrolmen had already appeared on the scene, along with some emergency services. One of the drivers was sitting against his car with a Plumber trying to calm him down. The look on the man's face suggested that he had seen something truly terrifying, worse than any car accident. Kevin was silent and his eyes narrowed as he looked over the scene.

"It looks like just any other accident," Laura stated aloud.

"I only saw a bit of the accident," the old woman began to explain, "but everyone's saying that they saw some sort of large dog appear in the street before it happened. My guess is that the car swerved to avoid it."

"A large dog?" Laura questioned further.

"Yes, although people who did see said it was a big as a bear. I've never heard of such a thing around here," the woman explained further.

"It is…strange," Laura said, looking at the accident again, "Kevin what do you think?" she asked him. There was no answer. She looked to see Kevin walking slowly toward an alleyway near the scene.

"Kevin?" she called for him again, confused as to what he was doing. Again, Kevin didn't answer. Kevin had walked to alley, just stopping at the entrance. He had noticed something peculiar. There was blood on the ground. Kevin eyes narrowed at the sight and he lifted his head to the darkness of the alley.

"Kevin?!" he heard Laura call out to him and he turned to greet her this time, "What is it?" she asked him worriedly.

"Look on the ground. Don't you think that's odd," Kevin told her in a whisper as he looked down. Laura did as he said and looked to the ground.

"Blood?!" Laura said, shocked. She then turned her gaze back to the accident scene, "That is odd. The drivers don't look all that hurt and they haven't moved over. Something else must have come through here," Laura stated in a hushed voice.

"Alright then," Kevin said as he began to walk into the alley. Laura quickly grabbed his shirt to stop him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Laura questioned him sternly.

"Going to check it out," Kevin replied simply.

"You're insane! You're really going to walk into a dark alleyway, with blood at the entrance, and the knowledge that there is some kind of large, dangerous dog out there waiting!" Laura said to him in an exasperated tone.

"Um…yeah, pretty much," Kevin stated to her calmly. Shock appeared on Laura's face at his answer. Then, with a disgruntled sigh, she began to rub her face with her hand in irritation.

"You are so infuriating," Laura stated obviously.

"I'm just bit curious about what happened and about this 'giant dog' thing," Kevin explained to her. Laura continued to rub her eyes in frustration at him. This boy would defiantly be the cause of some major headaches for her in the future.

"Still," Kevin began, his tone turning to mock. Laura gazed back at him with slight annoyance, "If you really are that scared then you can go home and leave everything to me."

"Fine, maybe I will!" Laura said to him angrily. Kevin kept his calm attitude towards her.

"Okay, see you later then," Kevin said. He then turned and walked into the alleyway. Laura stood there, shocked, for a brief moment.

"Y…you know, you could into trouble with my aunt and uncle for this," Laura bluffed as she watched him walk away. Kevin merely gave a slight wave as he disappeared into the darkness of the alley.

"Kevin!" she called out to him again to which there was no reply. Laura crossed her arms angrily and she let out a sigh.

"I should just let him go. It's not like it's my job to watch him anyway," she mumble to herself as she began to turn to walk away. However, she took one step and stopped. A torn look was on her face. She looked back to the accident scene and saw the damage that was caused. She then groaned loudly and turned back to the entrance of the alley.

"I swear if nothing else kills him, I will one day," Laura said as she look down the path, "Dammit," she muttered before walking into the darkness to follow her friend.

* * *

Kevin continued to walk cautiously through the dark pathway. He would look down every now and then to make sure the small droplets of blood were still there on the ground. He kept up his calm composure as he walked, but he could still feel his heart pound with slight fear, wondering what awaited for him when he reach the end. He finally came upon a chain-link fence and gates that lead to a large back-lot between the buildings. Upon further inspection, he saw the gate was closed with a large chain and lock preventing entry. He looked through the holes of the chain-link and saw that the trail of blood continued past the gate, but stopped in the middle of the back-lot. Kevin was confused by this. He then heard footsteps coming up behind him. He turned his head slightly and let out a silent sigh when he saw Laura coming through the darkness.

"So you came after all. I thought you were scared?" Kevin joked with her.

"Shut up," Laura replied with a chuckle, "You might get into more trouble out here and I don't want to be blamed for it," she stated simply. Kevin saw through her and laughed lightly.

"Whatever," he said looking back out to the back-lot. Laura stepped closer to the fence to also look. She placed her hand on the rusty metal as she leaned in closer.

"The blood trail ends there," she stated aloud seeing the red dots on the ground.

"Yeah, but it's weird. Why would it just stop like that?" Kevin pondered aloud, "My guess is that the dog-thing is hiding somewhere out here."

"That's…a possibility," Laura said, trying to hide her shaky tone. Her tone didn't go unnoticed by Kevin. He glanced at her and saw the nervous look in her eyes as well as the slight trembling of her hands. Kevin narrowed his eyes softly at the girl. He then absorbed the metal wire to cover his hand.

"You stay here," Kevin told her blatantly as he yanked at the lock and chain. The objects easily broke off of the gate from his enhanced strength.

"I can't let you go in there alone," Laura said to him as he opened the gate a stepped through.

"If something does happen, you'll be here either to get away and get help or back me up. If nothing happens, we'll go back home, I promise. Deal?" Kevin explained to her. Laura looked hesitant at first, but she gave him a slight nod of agreement.

Kevin walked out towards the middle of the back-lot. Laura watched him carefully as she stood in doorway. Kevin crouched down to the last drop of blood on the ground, where the trail ended. His eyes narrowed as he examined it.

"_It just stops," _Kevin inquired to himself. He then raised his head to look around. His eyes scanned the entire area around him, not seeing any other signs of blood.

"_Something doesn't feel right," _Kevin inquired further, _"Where would it go? Where would it hide? Why would it hide?" _Kevin eyes continued to search the area. He couldn't understand it, but he had this unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was like he felt something watching closely from afar.

A loud clang caused his head to snap over to look at a dumpster and some trash cans in a far corner. Kevin stood up slowly, still watching the metal cans. Laura remained still, her eyes also locked onto the corner. Kevin clenched his stone fist tightly in preparation as to what it could be. He felt his heart pound wildly and sweat drip from his forehead down the side of his cheek. He took another cautious step closer and closer. Suddenly another loud clang sent the cans toppling over as a furry beast jumped towards the boy.

"Ahh!" Kevin cried out in surprise as the cat ran past him and Laura, out of the alley. Laura let out a sigh of relief, seeing it was only that.

"God damn cat!" Kevin exclaimed in frustration as he tried to calm himself.

"Kevin, let's just go home," Laura suggested, "There's nothing here."

"Yeah, but what about…" Kevin began to say.

"We can go tell the Plumber guards about this place. They can check it out from here," Laura stated to him pleadingly. Kevin stared at her silently for a few seconds. He looked to the ground briefly and let out a loud sigh.

"Yeah, okay I guess we can…" he began to speak, but he then felt a dangerous presence coming towards him. He quickly turned to look up behind him. The instant he did, he felt him being forcefully thrown back to the ground on his back by some large beast. He also felt it's fangs dig into his arm, which Kevin had out up defensively.

"Kevin!" Laura cried out. She couldn't move to help though. She felt afraid of the beast on top of her friend.

"Shit! Who the hell…" he stopped talking as he opened his eyes to only stare directly into the golden eyes of a large wolf.

The wolf's fur was the purest of white that Kevin had ever seen on any animal, only stained by small splotches of blood where he was wounded. Though the beast was crouching over his prey, he appeared to have the physique of a human. He looked even more so for he was wearing torn blue jeans. Kevin then blood to feel his own blood from his arm drip on his face. He could see his limb between the jaws of the wolf. His blood stained its glistening teeth and dripped from its mouth and downing its lower jaws. Kevin's fear was rising as he continued to hear the vicious growls coming from its throat. Still, Kevin was not willing to die so easily and he began to push back at the beast strength.

"Who are you?! What do you want?!" Kevin questioned. His voice sounding strained. More snarls came from the beast in reply. However, as Kevin listened more closely, he could make out some words.

"Not going….not going back….can't make me," the wolf half growled and half spoke as he continued to stare angrily at his prey.

"_Go back? What does it mean?" _Kevin inquired to himself. He saw more of his blood drip from his arm as he lay there, trying to repel this beast. However, as he stared into the wolf's golden orbs, Kevin thought he could see a small glint of something underneath the savagery. Was it…fear?

**Again, sorry for late updates. Life is hectic and I've been in kind of a slump recently. But still enjoy this chapter, it will continue on in the next. Also you are more than welcome to check my first Fanfic, I'm writing these two Fanfic at the same time. That might also be a reason for late updates, but I digress.**

**Please leave a review**


	5. Ch 5: Underneath the Beast

**I do not own Ben 10 or any of its characters**

ABC = Talking

_ABC = Thoughts or flashbacks._

_Chapter 5: Underneath the Beast_

"…Not going back…" the white wolf growled, his jaws still clenched around Kevin's arm. Kevin was struggling to force the beast off of him. Unanswered questions were filling his mind as he laid there, blood still dripping from his arm. What was it running from? Why does it look so afraid? Who or what it this thing? The wolf's snarling jaws were getting closer as Kevin felt its hot breath on his skin. Kevin was now strained to push he beast away. Laura had one of her blades out in a defensive position as she looked upon the two, contemplating on what to do.

"_This is bad," _she began to inquire to herself, _"If this continues, Kevin could lose too much blood and run out of energy to fight back."_ She watched intently seeing how strenuous it was becoming for Kevin keep the beast at bay. She saw faint hints of him beginning to fade.

"_I need to do something, but if I rush in, there's a good possibility that the wolf could hurt Kevin even more in retaliation," _she continued to ponder, _"What now?" _she was growing more frustrated with herself. She moved her foot slightly and felt it brush against something on the ground. She looked down and saw an aluminum can next to her foot. After staring at it for a brief second, she was struck with an idea. Swiftly, she used her blade under the can to toss it into the air.

"Hey, mutt!" Laura called to the wolf. The wolf's golden eyes shifted to her. He watched as Laura kicked the can hard. The can flew through the air and struck him painfully, right above his eye.

The wolf recoiled slightly and Kevin felt his jaws loosen from his arm. Kevin took the opportunity and quickly used his free hand to absorb the concrete underneath him and then delivered a strong punch to the beast's stomach. The punch caused the wolf to finally let go of Kevin's arm completely and recoil back off of Kevin's body even more. Seeing this, Laura quickly ran over to deliver another kick to the side of the wolf's head and the wolf was sent rolling away from the two. He growled in pain as he tried to lift himself off of the hard concrete.

"You okay?" Laura asked Kevin as she stood over him. Kevin was still lying on the ground, clutching his wounded arm.

"I've been better," Kevin groaned as he looked at the red liquid on his arm. Laura's attention was quickly turned back to the giant wolf as she heard it growl. Her gaze was locked with the wolf's as it stood just a few feet away from her.

"Stay back!" she yelled at the wolf with command. The beast snarled more as he began taking small, cautious steps towards her. Laura held out her blade defensively again. The wolf's golden eye widened in a beastly manner and his fur bristled as his body trembled.

"_He's trembling? Why? He has the upper hand," _Laura pondered to herself as she continued her gaze at the beast.

Then, the wolf let out a loud, ferocious snarl and rushed at the girl. Laura quickly reacted and rushed at him as well, ignoring Kevin's shouts of protest. The wolf slashed at the girl with his claws. Laura ducked just as his claws went over her head. She used the pommel of her blade to strike the wolf in his abdomen. The beast growled with annoyance at this and jumped away from her slightly. Laura rushed at him instantly and swung her blade at him. However, the wolf was too quick. Laura soon heard the loud clang of metal and fangs colliding as the wolf clamped his jaws around the blade.

"_This beast sure is strong," _Laura thought as the wolf began to push against her own strength. She was now straining to hold her defense as she stared directly into the beast's eyes. Cautiously, she began to reach for her other blade, trying hard to not be noticed. However, the wolf had already noticed and his eyes narrowed at her. He quickly reached out and firmly grabbed hold of her wrist. Shocked by his actions, Laura felt herself fall backwards onto the ground with wolf snarling above her, still holding her wrist to her side and jaws still holding her blade.

"_It's smart too,"_ Laura said to herself as her fear began to rise. The wolf continued snarling at her and his grip on her wrist tightened. The pain of his powerful grip was clear on her face. At this, she felt his grip loosen slightly. She stared back up at him and was surprised by the apologetic and almost human look in his eyes.

"Stop this now," she said to him softly, almost pleading. The wolf was taken aback by her soft tone and he loosened his jaws from her blade slightly. Laura felt relieved by this and did her best to hide her remaining fear.

"We know people who can help. Trust us," she pleaded with him again. The wolf's eyes widened in shock at the girl's words. A part of him wanted to trust them, accept their help, but his feral nature was making him have doubts.

"I…" he was torn. Again, images of the previous night rushed into his mind along with the memories of numerous nights before. Memories of being locked up like the wild animal he had become, no longer being treated as a human. It was during that time he had felt he had lost that sense of humanity. The faithful night he had lost control and killed a man with his own claws. He had run away, it was his chance, and he couldn't bear returning.

"I can't!" the wolf finally answered as the fear returned to his eyes. Then he felt a sudden pain to the side of his face. He was sent tumbling off of Laura and collided with a wall after rolling along the ground. He let out a small whimper as he lifted himself slightly off the ground.

"You can't? What a bunch bullshit," Kevin huffed at him as he stood above Laura, who was now getting back up. The wolf stared back at him, shocked by the sudden punch he had delivered especially considering his condition. Kevin's arm was still bleeding quite baldy and he was trembling slightly as he stood. He looked as though he could collapse.

"Why do you two care? It's not like you could understand what I am," the wolf snarled, averting his glaring eyes to the ground.

"You really think so," Kevin muttered with a quiet chuckle, holding his bleeding arm. The wolf side glanced at him with slight confusion.

"Why did you cause that accident? You could have hurt people," Laura questioned the wolf.

"I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to get as far away as possible," the wolf replied, his body trembling as he did.

"Far away?" Laura pondered, confused.

"They'll send people to hunt me down and take me back, but I can't! I couldn't bear to go back to that place, to face everyone there," he continued in a shaky voice.

"You did something horrible, so you're running," Laura stated sincerely, beginning to feel sympathy for this creature.

"It makes sense," Kevin spoke up. Both Laura and the wolf turned their attention to him. "You get taken and you get locked up, or worse. You do know though, you can't just run forever," Kevin stated blatantly to him, staring directly at him. The wolf's eyes widened slightly at his words, knowing that he was right. He was about to reply, but his ears then perked up at a far off noise coming from the alleyway and his eyes shifted towards the darkness. Kevin noticed this, but before he could say anything, the wolf lept up and dug his claws into the wall behind him. In just two swift moves he disappeared over the wall onto the roof of the building.

"H…hey!" Laura shouted to him as he scaled the wall.

"Wait," Kevin silenced her as he stared out into the alleyway, "I think someone's coming. Act natural," Kevin said to her. Laura could only nod in understanding. The two began making their way back out of the gateway. Laura placed Kevin's uninjured arm around her shoulder, acting like she was helping him walk though he could easily do so. It didn't take them long to meet up with a young Plumber who was running down the alleyway. He had a gun pointed strait out which startled the two when the man came out of the darkness.

"Put your weapon away, boy," a voice commanded the young soldier from behind.

"Sorry sir, I was just preparing for the worst," the young man replied as he turned to the figure behind him, putting his gun away. A scruffy looking man appeared from the darkness and walked up directly to Laura and Kevin.

"You need to relax a bit," the man told the soldier, looking down at the two kids, "you could've have hurt these two even more," he finished, seeing Kevin's bleeding arm.

"It's fine. He just startled us, but thanks for the concern, sir," Laura said to the man innocently.

"I'm no formal kind of general, young lady. It's Darius," Darius responded in kind manner. He then kneeled down and took hold of Kevin's injured arm to examine it. "Looks bad, what exactly happened?" Darius questioned the boy as he saw the wounds.

"We were walking down here and a feral cat jumped out and attacked," Kevin lied to the man as he yanked his arm away.

"Are you sure it was a cat?" Darius questioned with a cocked brow.

"Well what else could it have been," Kevin replied nonchalantly with a shrug. Darius narrowed his eyes slightly at the boy.

"Alright, look," Darius began as he stood back up and shifted his gaze back and forth between the two, "The last thing I want to do is bring children into this, but the matter is important. You see I been assigned to capture a dangerous…animal. It could be a threat to anyone who confronts it, so we need to find it quickly," he explained to them seriously. Kevin and Laura remained silent under his intense gaze. Kevin was unwavered by this man and he narrowed his eyes back at him.

"I'm asking you now, if you anything about or have seen anything like a large rabid animal wandering around here, to tell me what you know. Well?" Darius finished staring directly at Kevin. Silence fell between the two as they continued to glare into the other's eyes. Laura glanced at Kevin, feeling a bit of worry for the situation.

"It was a cat. Strays are common around here. Nothing unusual," Kevin replied casually to the man without breaking his gaze. Darius narrowed his eyes at the boy with suspicion; however, Kevin remained calm under his gaze. Darius then let out a heavy sigh.

"Okay, sorry for being so serious with you two," Darius said, his attitude turning chipper. Kevin and Laura were taken aback a bit from his change of attitude.

"We understand," Laura stated to him with a kind smile, "It's your job after all. We'll be heading home now," she finished as began to walk past the man.

"Hold up," Darius said, holding his arm out to stop them. Kevin and Laura both felt their heartbeats quicken. "I can't just let two children wander the streets, especially if one's already injured," Darius finished, staring blankly down at the two.

"We're fine," Laura stated, "We wouldn't want to bother…"

"It's no trouble," Darius interrupted. He then turned to the soldier standing behind him. "Get the car ready. We're taking these two home," he said to him in command. The soldier replied with a "yes sir" and walked away from the three.

"We don't live too far away. We can walk," Laura tried to convince the man again. Darius turned back to her and smiled.

'It'll be a quicker drive then," Darius stated humorously. He then turned to walk back out of the alleyway, motioning for Kevin and Laura to follow.

"Let's just do as he says," Kevin whispered to Laura as the man walked away.

"You trust him?" Laura questioned, also whispering. She began to follow Darius, holding Kevin up by his arm as she did.

"No, but he obviously doesn't trust us. We just have to hold out till we get back to your aunt and uncle," Kevin replied with a hint of annoyance. Laura could only let out a frustrated sigh, but complied as the two follow the man out of the alley.

Up on the roofs, the group didn't notice the pair of golden eyes staring down at them. The wolf let out a small whimper as he watched Kevin and Laura follow the scruffy looking man.

"_They didn't turn me in," _he stated to himself, confused, _"Even after I attacked them. I could have easily killed them both," _he continued to ponder, wincing slightly. He saw the images of both of them cowering under him flash before his eyes and could still slightly taste the leftover blood on his fangs. His animal side was savoring the taste, but his still present humanity allowed him to spit it out onto the concrete of the roof. He growled at himself. He hated it; running away, hiding from everyone, basically being nothing more than a stray. He then remembered something that the girl had said to him.

"Trust us."

"_They sounded sincere, but," _he thought to himself as he began to walk away, _"I can't. I don't want to hurt anyone else. It's for their sake." _That was his reason. He couldn't think any more on it now. Right now, he had to find someplace to hide before running again.

* * *

Gilliam and Vanessa we're sitting at the counter of their electronic shop. Vanessa finished helping another customer and sent him on his way. After the customer left, Vanessa turned to look at her husband. Gilliam was sitting on a stool working on a broken laptop. She flashed a smirk at him. Gilliam saw this and cocked a brow at her.

"What?" he questioned curiously.

"You're bothered by something," Vanessa answered him, still smirking.

"No I'm not," Gilliam stated abruptly, turning back to the broken laptop.

"Yes you are," Vanessa stated back, "I know you well enough. Plus I found this," she finished and pulled out the day's newspaper from under the counter. On the front page was a story talking about another small riot that was contained on the eastern side of the city. Gilliam glanced at the paper and let out a small chuckle.

"Were you snooping around my office," he joked with a smirk.

"I also read these, you know," Vanessa stated amusingly to her husband, "and I also worry," she stated seriously. Gilliam gave her a solemn smile.

"Just not as much as me, right?" he questioned.

"I wouldn't say that," she replied, "This was just a small one, right, and easily contained too."

"They wouldn't publish it otherwise," Gilliam began, "My guess, it was probably a couple of guys who had just joined with the rioters. To prove themselves, they decide to just rush and take the Plumbers head on. Not the wisest decision."

"The riot leaders didn't do anything to help them. They must have figured it wasn't worth the risk," Vanessa stated.

"It's no different than putting rookies out on the front lines of a battle. They know the risks," Gilliam said solemnly.

"Still, even with both sides at standstill with each other, there's more trouble to come," Vanessa added, also in a solemn tone.

"More trouble, huh," Gilliam mumbled. He then narrowed his eyes in thought, "Where are Kevin and Laura?" he asked.

"Well, since you gave them the day off, I imagine they're out in the city somewhere," Vanessa replied. She noticed the worried expression on Gilliam's face. Talking about the rioters must have caused it. "I'm sure they're fine. How much trouble can they get into?" she inquired. Then the two heard the front door of the shop open. They turned to see a Plumber guard holding the door open as Kevin and Laura walked in. They both looked down to see Kevin holding a cloth to his wounded arm.

"A lot apparently," Gilliam mumbled softly. He stood up and walked over to the two. He leaned down to slightly remove the cloth around Kevin's arm. He narrowed his eyes in concern as he saw what looked like large fangs marks covering his arm.

"What happened?" he asked, glancing at both of them. Kevin and Laura shot worried looks at each other, unsure of what to say.

"They said it was a stray cat," Darius said as he walked in. Gilliam stood to greet him. He quickly glanced down to Kevin again before speaking to the man.

"Really? Well, thank you for bringing them home. We'll take care of them, Gilliam stated. He motioned for Vanessa to take them upstairs. She complied and led the two away.

"I hope they weren't too much trouble," Gilliam said to the man as the three left. Darius shook his head with a low laugh.

"Not at all. I was out on the streets patrolling anyway," Darius stated confidently.

"Patrolling? You look like a guard from the base. What are you doing out on the streets?" Gilliam questioned. Darius smirked.

"You're Gilliam, right? I heard that you were a former Plumber that lived out here," Darius stated matter-of-factly, "It might help if you know. I've been sent to track down an escaped chimera. A wolf hybrid to be exact," Darius explained. Gilliam listened carefully and kept his calm composure.

"An escaped chimera. I haven't seen too many before," Gilliam said, still remaining calm, "I wish you luck then." Darius narrowed his eyes at the man in suspicion. He was still curious about those two children. He felt that they knew something.

"The boy looked like he was attacked by something fierce. You saw the wounds also, were they really from some cat," Darius questioned him further. Gilliam merely shrugged in response.

"There are a lot of strays, cats and dogs. You can't just immediately jump to conclusion without any proof," Gilliam stated sternly. Darius stared at him silently for a few seconds, eyes still narrowed. He then let out a heavy sigh.

"Alright, I should be going now," Darius said as he turned to leave.

"Right, good luck and thank you again," Gilliam said with a nod as the man left.

Darius walked out onto the sidewalk in front of the store. He had a frustrated scowl on his face. He let out a couple of huffs before calming himself. He didn't trust those kids. They knew something and he was sure it had to do with the chimera. Maybe he could use them somehow.

"Sir, are we ready to go?" the soldier asked Darius, breaking him of his thoughts. Darius was silent for a few minute, staring at the young soldier. A smirk then appeared on his face.

"Go home, you're off duty," he stated to the young man and walked towards the car.

"But…" the soldier tried to say, stunned.

"I'll be working solo for now on. Go back to the base and give your report," Darius ordered as he got into the driver's seat.

"What should I say sir?" the young man asked.

"Tell them I should have the beast by tonight," Darius answered, "and maybe some accomplices as well," he finished with a devilish smirk before speeding off, leaving the confused soldier behind.

* * *

Kevin, Laura, and Vanessa were sitting in the living room upstairs. Kevin sat on the sofa with Laura and was wrapping his injured arm in bandages. Vanessa sat on a chair facing them, waiting for them to tell all.

"So, are you gonna tell us what you didn't tell those officers?" she asked the two.

"We're not too sure about what happened," Laura admitted to her aunt.

"What do you mean? You said you attacked by an animal," Vanessa stated to them in confusion.

"Well, we out on the streets when we saw there was an accident," Kevin began to explain, "The people said there was a large dog involved. When Laura and I went looking for it, we were attack by it in an alleyway. It didn't look like any regular dog though. It was a huge white wolf that could stand like human. Like a werewolf I guess," Kevin finished explaining, still sounding unsure of what he saw. Vanessa was silent as she listened to and thought about Kevin's story.

"The wolf, could it speak and act like any other human would?" she questioned further.

"Yeah, it was a smart as any human," Laura answered with a nod. Vanessa let out a quiet sigh before answering.

"Did it also have what looked like a leather collar around his neck?" Vanessa asked them. Kevin thought for minute, back to when the wolf was snarling above him. He then remembered something. Though he could barely see it through its thick white fur, he faintly recalled seeing a silver tag.

"I did see a round silver tag. It looked like it had a wolf paw print on it," Kevin replied.

"Sounds more a chimera then. That tag symbolizes what type it is. A wolf-hybrid," Vanessa stated.

"That's the man said he was hunting for," Gilliam added as he walked into the room. Kevin and Laura were both confused at this.

"A chimera? What's that?" Kevin asked as he glanced over to Laura.

"I've never heard of anything like that," Laura said with a shrug.

"Not surprising, they're not publically talked about that often," Gilliam stated.

"You see, chimeras are under the direct control of the Plumbers," Vanessa began. Kevin and Laura both listened intently, "Chimeras were created by the Plumbers to be super soldiers. The idea of splicing human DNA with animal DNA was first intended to make someone stronger or faster. However, the process began creating human-animal hybrids."

"So…he's human?" Kevin inquired, more curious about the wolf chimera than before.

"Yes," Vanessa continued, "there aren't many chimeras out there, but the ones there have an ability to change between their human and animal forms, due to their mutation," she finished explaining.

"The chimera said he was running away. I guess he was running from the Plumbers," Laura inquired as her aunt finished.

"The Plumbers would want to keep something like this secret and under control, so not to worry the public," Gilliam stated. He was silent for a few more seconds, obviously thinking about something. "I'm going to make a call," Gilliam stated and turned to walk up the stairs. Kevin immediately got up and quickly followed the man. Laura also followed suit while Vanessa remained in the living room. Gilliam walked to his office and sat down in his desk chair. He then began to make a call.

"Who are calling?" Laura questioned her uncle as she and Kevin walked into the office.

"I want to know more about this chimera," Gilliam answered her as the phone began ringing. Gilliam put the phone on speaker and the three waited for the other side to answer. "Come on, I know you're there," Gilliam muttered. Just then, there was an answer.

"Lieutenant Grant speaking," Grant's serious sounding voice answered.

"Grant, it's me," Gilliam said to him.

"Hey," Grant's voice turned casual, "Why would you call me on my cell. I could be working you know."

"If you were able to answer your cell, then you're obviously slacking off in your office," Gilliam argued at him.

"True," Grant stated, "What do you want, that you wouldn't ask over a military line?" he asked, turning serious again.

"It's about the escaped chimera," Gilliam stated abruptly. There was silence on the other end of the line for a minute or two.

"So, you found out. Not surprising," Grant finally spoke with a slight chuckle.

"More like the chimera found us," Kevin finally spoke up. Another laugh came from Grant when he heard the boy's voice.

"I see you're getting into more trouble, kid," Grant teased the boy.

"What else is new," Laura also teased. Kevin only shot her an annoyed looked.

"Anyway, what can you tell us about the chimera," Gilliam stated to the lieutenant. He heard the rustling of papers on the other end. Grant must have been looking at some documents.

"The wolf-hybrid escaped late last night and apparently ran till morning," Grant began to explain, "One of the lab guards, Darius, was sent out to locate him."

"We know that. We already ran into Darius and he seemed pretty determined to find the chimera," Laura stated in the middle of his explanation.

"He should be," Grant stated abruptly, "He can't afford to mess this assignment up. Consider it was given to him by the head of command, Magister Xavier." Gilliam's eyes widen slightly at the mention of the leader of the Plumber base.

"Why would the head Magister be concerned with a chimera?" Gilliam questioned.

"Magister Xavier is always concerned with keeping peace and order in the city. The chimera has already killed a man during its escape," Grant replied.

"So he's worried that it'll cause more chaos in the city," Gilliam stated solemnly, "and it'll be easier to just get rid of it."

"Since you don't like those details, then you're going to love these next ones," Grant stated sarcastically. Gilliam became intrigued at this as he heard more documents rustle on the line.

"The chimera's real name is Anton Crier and he's only twelve years old," Grant stated with a hint of sadness. Kevin's and Laura's eyes widen in shock, along with Gilliam's.

"Wait! He's just a kid like us! Why would the Plumbers use him for these experiments?!" Laura questioned frantically.

"I know it's hard to imagine, but I'm sure the Plumber weren't directly involved with it," Grant stated calmly.

"The fault would fall directly on the scientists involved," Gilliam added.

"It was the head scientist that was killed during the escape," Grant stated. Gilliam smiled sadly at the situation.

"A man so desperate to play god, that he would resort to use a child. It's hard enough for adults to go through such a process. I can only imagine the fear the boy had gone through," Gilliam stated solemnly. Kevin had remained silent for a while now. He had thought back to when he was fighting with the chimera. The one he could remember clearly was the apparent fear in his eyes. Kevin growled softly to himself before turning to leave the room. Laura watched him leave with concern on her face. She then heard the door to his room close with a slam. She looked back at her uncle, who only gave her his own concerned stare. She then turned back to follow Kevin.

"What are you going to do, Gilliam?" Grant questioned, breaking the silence. Gilliam thought for a minute, staring at the doorway where the two left.

"Nothing. At least nothing right now," Gilliam answered.

Meanwhile, Kevin was lying on his bed with his arms behind his head and staring at the ceiling. For some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about the chimera, Anton. Why was it bothering him so much? He was broken of his thoughts when he heard his door open. He glanced to the side and saw Laura standing there with her arms crossed.

"You're worried about the chimera," she stated to him matter-of-factly.

"What? Why would I be?" Kevin questioned her sternly.

"Aww, you do have a heart," Laura teased him innocently.

"Knock it off!" Kevin exclaimed as he sat up on his bed. Laura chuckled softly and went to sit in his small desk chair.

"I didn't like what I heard either, but why does it bother you so much?" she asked him seriously. Kevin stared at her briefly before averting his gaze to the floor.

"It's hard to explain, but I guess I know how it feels to be a monster, like him," Kevin admitted solemnly. Laura's gaze softened a bit. He had told her about when he was a monster before he came here and it was an experience he didn't like to bring up often.

"You know, what happened to you isn't quite the same as what the chimera went through," Laura stated in a consoling manner.

"I know, but it doesn't matter. I didn't like being feared as a monster and I'm sure he doesn't either. It's even worse for him, he can't ever return to normal like me," Kevin stated to her. Silence fell between the two. Laura knew he was right in a way. Based on what she heard, a chimera can look human, but on the inside, they know what they really are. Again, she was feeling that sense of sorrow she felt for the wolf before.

"Plus, you didn't get a real good look at his eyes. There was fear in them," Kevin added in a solemn tone. Laura gazed down at the floor.

"What are you going to do?" she asked him. Kevin looked out of the window in silence, gazing at the darkening sky outside.

"It's getting dark," Kevin stated obviously as he saw the sky. He then let out a sigh, "I'm going out to find him again," he said as he got off his bed.

"And when you do?" Laura questioned further.

"I don't think that far ahead," Kevin replied with a smirk, "I suppose you going to try and stop me from…"

"Stop you? Don't count on it," Laura interrupted with her own smirk, "I'm coming with you. I might have to save your ass again." Kevin was surprised by her at first, but soon smirked back.

"Okay then, make sure you bring your swords. I might know where we can find Anton," Kevin stated to her and walked out of the room. Laura nodded slightly and quickly followed.

* * *

It had quickly become dark in the city. Kevin and Laura had easily snuck past Gilliam and Vanessa to wander the city. The streets were empty, normal for this time of night. Kevin was leading the way, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious and it wasn't just the rouge chimera he was worried about.

"You're sure you know where you're going?" Laura questioned him from behind.

"You don't trust me?" Kevin questioned back.

"Well," Laura mumbled.

"Don't answer," Kevin said, sounding a bit annoyed, "Look, back in New York there were time I had to hide from thugs or…cops."

"Hmmm," Laura said, not sounding shocked by this.

"Just listen," Kevin said to her, "I would take shelter in places like under bridges, in abandoned subway stations, or even… construction sites," he finished as he stopped in front of a closed off construction site. It appeared to another tall building in the middle of construction. Only a few walls on the bottom floor were up while the rest was just the steel foundation of the building.

"You think he's in there?" Laura pondered as she looked at the area.

"Positive. There aren't any workers here at night and there are plenty of place to hide in the area itself. Plus no normal human could navigate in there alone," Kevin explained to her. He then hopped over the barrier of the area.

"You stay here," he said to Laura.

"Wait, you're going in alone again. That didn't work out to well last time," she argued with him.

"I can handle it," Kevin argued back, "Besides, we already know there re soldiers out looking for him. You're going to be a look out. If you see anyone, come and let me know," he explained to her then turned to ran towards the unfinished building. Laura knew it was pointless to argue so she complied and leaned against the fence line. All she could do now was wait.

Kevin ran inside of the ground floor of the building. The few walls that were up made it even darker. He stood completely still as his eyes adjusted to the lack of light. He began glancing around the entire area, looking for any sign of movement. It was unsettling quiet. He felt as though he was completely open to attack. He touched his bandaged arm, reminding himself that there was a risk to all of this. However, he wasn't about to show fear.

"Anton!" he called out to the chimera, hoping for an answer, "It is Anton, right? Please, I just want to talk," he continued to plead. Again no answer, but Kevin did feel like he was being watched now. Kevin decided then to sit down on the hard concrete floor, cross-legged, "Look, I'm completely out in the open. There's no one here to help me. You can attack me if you want," he stated to darkness.

"I'm not going to attack you," a voice finally answered. Kevin easily recognized it as belonging to the wolf from before. He looked up and saw the glow of the wolf's yellow eyes above. The wolf then leaped down to land, with animalistic grace, on the floor below, a few feet from where Kevin was sitting. Kevin's heart was beating faster with the slight fear he felt, but he kept his calm appearance.

"Why are you here?" Anton questioned, growling slightly as he did.

"I already told you. I just wanna talk," Kevin answered calmly. Anton cocked his brow at the boy. He felt slightly confused at his actions.

"You called me by my real name. How'd you know that?" Anton questioned further.

"I have a friend who's with the Plumbers. He told me everything about you," Kevin explained. Anton sat up on his haunches still not breaking eye contact with Kevin. He let out what sounded like a sad laugh.

"Everything, huh?" he mumbled solemnly.

"Yeah," Kevin also said in a sad tone, "You're just a kid. Same age as me actually."

"You think I'm pretty pathetic then. Seeing what I am," Anton assumed, chuckling slightly. He found this all very amusing. It had been a while since he talked to someone, let alone someone the same age as him, like a real human being.

"There are people more pathetic than you, believe me," Kevin sad laughing a bit, "In fact I'm an example myself."

"You? You look pretty normal to me," Anton stated, slightly confused. Kevin could only chuckle.

"You already saw my powers before, back when we fought," Kevin said to him.

"Yeah, you were able to absorb the ground," Anton said remembering back when Kevin had struck him with his stone arm.

"Well, these powers were responsible for turning me into a monster," Kevin stated, looking down at his hand. Anton's eyes widened slightly in shock, but remained silent as Kevin continued to explain, "About a year ago, I became this alien monster, because I lost control of my powers. If you at me back then, you wouldn't have guessed that I was just some eleven year kid from the streets. People just saw me as I was, a monster," Kevin finished explained. Anton began to feel a little sympathy for this random kid he had just met yesterday. Yet, it couldn't really compare Kevin to himself.

"You never killed anyone though," Anton stated blatantly.

"No, but I could have," Kevin stated, just as blatantly, "Luckily for me, I got help and was able to return to normal. Well, normal for me," Kevin said in a joking manner. Anton smiled slightly.

"But, I guess it's not the same for you. You can't ever be normal again, right?" Kevin said to him. A low whimper came from Anton in response.

"I wanted to strong. Maybe stronger than other soldier out there," Anton admitted, showing a hint of anger, "I got my wish and this is the price I have to pay for it," he finished as he reached up to touch the hidden collar through his fur.

"You didn't do it to yourself though, it was those scientists," Kevin stated to him.

"But I did nothing to stop it!" Anton exclaimed angrily, "That bastard lied to me! He made me into this!" Anton snarled.

"Are you talking about the scientist you killed?" Kevin questioned him. Anton shot a glare at the boy before he adverted his gaze to the ground.

"Yeah," Anton said simply. Kevin could see that there was something else bothering the chimera. Something that had to do with scientist he killed. He didn't want to question him further on it, at least not right now.

"You know, there is still the offer that Laura made to you the first time we all met," Kevin stated to him. Anton looked back up to Kevin, "We can help. Trust us," he said to him. Anton whimpered slightly. Again, the offer sounded good.

* * *

Laura was still standing out by the fence line. She felt bored and tired, but still refused to leave her friend behind. She took another glance back at the unfinished building and let out a worried sigh.

"_I wonder what's going on," _she thought to herself. She admitted that she was worried. She wasn't quite sure about how Kevin was supposed to convince the chimera to trust them. He certainly didn't seem like the trustworthy type himself. Then again, as she thought about it more, there were similarities between the Kevin and the chimera. Maybe a bond could be formed. She then thought back to what Kevin had said before. There was fear in the wolf's eyes.

"_I saw it too," _Laura stated to herself, _"It's hard to believe that the wolf isn't much older than me or Kevin. I could only imagine what he went through while in the labs."_

A noise in the distance startled her. She quickly turned, her hand on the handle of her blade. She narrowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the street. She saw nothing. It must have been the wind. She let out a heavy sigh and rubbed her face to calm down. She looked back to the construction site. Her thoughts returned to the chimera.

"_I wonder, what's he really like? As a human,"_ Laura thought. Suddenly, she felt a gun being pointed into her back. She sucked in a deep breath out of fear as she felt warm breath hit her neck.

"Little girls shouldn't be wandering the streets at night," she instantly recognized the voice. It was Darius. "Where's your friend…and his pet?" he asked her menacingly.

* * *

"So what do you say?" Kevin asked him. Anton was still unsure. They had asked him to trust them, but could he. More importantly, could he trust himself?

"What if I lose control? I could hurt your family," Anton questioned him.

"Then you'll have to deal with me," Kevin said jokingly, cracking his knuckles, "So don't mess up, okay," he finished with a smirk. Anton couldn't help but smirk back at him. Maybe he could let his guard this time. However, his ear perked back up as he heard footsteps coming towards them.

"Someone's coming!" Anton snarled as he stood back up, looking behind Kevin. Kevin quickly stood and turned to face the doorway.

"Very good, you have some sharp senses" Darius said as he came into view. Anger then appeared on Kevin's face when he saw him holding Laura by her arm.

"But it doesn't matter now," Darius stated menacingly as he threw Laura down onto the hard floor. "This hunt is over," he stated and took out a small sphere from his pocket. He hurled it at Anton. Metal tentacle came out of the device and clamped around Anton's body and he was thrown to the floor. He desperately struggled to break out of the cuffs, but to no avail.

"I can't move!" he exclaimed while still struggling on the ground.

"Those cuffs are designs specifically for someone of your enhanced strength. You won't be able to break them," Darius stated with a cocky smirk.

"You bastard," Kevin growled at the man.

"Bringing the chimera in will complete my assignment, but bringing in some accomplices will earn me some extra points," Darius stated and fired his gun at Kevin. Kevin quickly rolled to dodge the bullet and absorbed the concrete beneath him to cover his body.

"I don't know whether to call you desperate or insane," Kevin mocked the man. Darius snarled angrily and fired more shots at the boy. Kevin held up his concrete arms to deflect them. The bullets struck the hard stone and left small cracks as they bounced off. Though not fatally wounding him, Kevin experienced the same stinging pain as each one hit. Then, in an effort to end it, Kevin raced forward and tackled Darius to the ground. He tried to punch the man with his stone fist. However, Darius move his head away so that Kevin's fist would only strike the floor beneath him. Darius tried to shoot the boy in his head, but Kevin quickly grab hold of the gun in his hand to keep him from firing. As the two struggled on the floor, Laura took the chance and ran to Anton, who was still straining to free himself from his shackles.

"Hold still!" Laura commanded him as she ran to his side. Anton willingly obeyed as he stared wide eyed at the girl. Laura quickly examined the restraining device on his chest. She tried desperately to remove it, but it was no use. The metal arms were securely strapped around his body. Laura then lifted here blade. Anton winced as she swung the sword down to strike the device. The strike was enough to cause the device to malfunctions and the arms retracted as sparks flew out.

"Thanks," Anton said to her as he frantically threw the broken device away from them.

"Don't mention it," Laura stated to him.

Then, they both heard a loud grunt. They looked to see that Darius had delivered a strong punch to the side of Kevin's face, knocking him off the man. Darius then turned his furious gaze over to the two. Seeing that Anton was free infuriated him even more and he pointed his gun at them. Anton reacted quickly and grabbed Laura by her waist before she could do anything else. He ran to avoid the numerous shots that hit the wall behind him. He continued to run until he took shelter behind a pile of wood planks, Laura still in his grasp. Darius continued firing, now chipping away at the planks with each bullet. The bullets stopped as Kevin came up from behind Darius and to hold of his gun, pointing it away from his friends. Kevin used his other arm around the man's neck to restrain him even more. Shots were now being fired at the ceiling as Darius tried to struggle out of the boy's surprisingly strong grasp. Kevin was able to finally knock the gun out of the man's hand only to have Darius reach behind him to grab hold of the boy's shirt and throw him to the ground. Kevin collided hard with the concrete, letting out a pain filled grunt as he did. He couldn't stay there long though. He looked up to see that Darius had pulled out a hidden combat knife with a crazed look in his eyes. Darius grasped the blade firmly as he swung it down at the boy. Kevin rolled out of the way and saw the hot sparks appear as the blade cut across the stone. Darius's eyes slowly shifted over to the boy as he held his blade out menacingly. Kevin stood back and took a defensive stance, not willing to back down.

"Kevin's in trouble again," Laura stated in a whisper as she glanced over the wooden planks. She pulled out her second blade, waiting for an opportunity to enter the fight. Anton remained silent and his breathing was heavy. He slowly turned his head to look at the exit, the only means of escape.

"Are you going to run?" he heard Laura ask him. Anton didn't answer as he glanced back at her. He looked back at the exit as low growls emitted from his throat.

"I can't believe you," Laura muttered angrily while shaking her head.

"What do you want me to do?" Anton snarled at her.

"How about you start acting like a wolf instead of a big scaredy-cat," Laura replied in frustration, "Stand and fight!"

"You don't understand!" Anton growled, "I can't afford to go back if I am captured! You have no idea what I'll go through if I do!"

"No, I don't!" Laura stated abruptly, "but that's why I can understand why you're afraid," she said her, her tone and expression becoming sincere.

"Let me tell you something, though," Laura began as she turned to look back at Kevin. Anton followed her gaze. Kevin was still fighting with Darius as he dodged another swing of his blade. Kevin retaliated with a punch, but Darius easily moved out of the way and side-swiped him with his own fist. The blow made Kevin stumble backwards, but he remained standing. His hand covered the spot where he was struck. He slowly retracted his hand to reveal the chipped away stone and skin underneath. Though he looked beaten, his dark eyes were still set with the determination to win.

"Look at him," she said staring straight at her friend, "Kevin has been in the same situation as you before. He knows what it's like to be locked up and viewed as a monster, and you don't think just as scared as you are! If he gets arrested, he surely going to go back to being a prisoner, something that he doesn't want to become again. However, he's not willing to just accept that with a fight, he's not going to run. In fact, he was willing to offer you help, even when he knew the risks involved! Now you're not going to do the same for him. I can't believe you," Laura finished, disappointment coming from her tone.

Anton was taken aback by her words as his gaze shifted to the floor. He felt somewhat ashamed, but again the sense of fear was overwhelming him again. He felt that he should just run. He heard another painful grunt as his eyes shot back up to look at Kevin. Kevin was on the floor, struck by another blow from Darius. Kevin body return to normal as he lay on the floor. Darius stood over him with a manic grin and his knife gripped firmly in his hand. Anton looked upon the beaten boy with a worried look on his canine features.

"Do what you want, but a life of constant running is no better than prison. That's what I believe, anyway," Laura stated to him sternly before she ran to Kevin's aid. Anton watched her with a look of shock and worry. His gaze then shifted back to the exit as Laura's words replayed in his mind.

Laura rushed at Darius with both her blades raised. Darius saw her coming and quickly raised his knife to block her first blade. He then jumped back to dodge her second blade. Laura was persistent as she thrusted her blade forward. Darius sidestepped to avoid the strike and grabbed hold of her wrist.

"You may be from the Cross family, but you're still just a child," Darius said in mock. He then delivered a strong kick to her chest. Laura was knocked down to the floor, groaning in pain. She had dropped her blade in the process, only to be picked up by Darius. He glared at the girl with a dangerous look in his eye. He then heard slight groaning coming from Kevin as he turned his gaze to him.

"Still conscious, I see," Darius stated as he walked over to Kevin, dragging Laura's blade along the floor. Kevin tried to sit up, but Darius placed his foot on the boy's chest, pushing him back to the ground.

"You've really pissed me off, boy," Darius growled at the boy.

"Yeah, I have a habit of doing that," Kevin mocked as he stared up angrily at the man. Darius gave him a cocky sneer as he lifted the blade in his hand, ready to stab the boy.

"Not anymore. It really is nothing personal," Darius said to him. Kevin winced slightly, preparing himself for the attack. Just then, Kevin saw a blur of white pass in front of his eyes and heard painful yell coming from Darius. Kevin quickly turned his head to see that Anton had forced the man off of him with his teeth clamped around the man's arm and he was snarling more fiercely than ever.

Anton was staring down at the man with pure rage in his eyes. Darius was glaring back with a mixture fear and anger in his own eyes. He watched streams of blood coming from his arm, but he pushed back against the wolf in a desperate attempt to free himself and was still gripping Laura's blade.

"Let go of me you damn beast!" Darius exclaimed angrily. Anton narrowed his eyes and tightened his jaws even more. Darius could hear the bones in his arm cracking under the wolf's strong jaws. Then, he finally felt his arm snap. Darius screamed in pain and let go of Laura's blade. Anton then picked up the man by his arm, still between his teeth. He then, flung him across the room and the man collided hard with one of the walls. Darius stood up slowly, but he didn't remain standing. Anton rushed at him and grabbed hold of him and banged him up against the wall. He then delivered another punch to the man and sent him tumbling against the ground. Darius was now trembling on the ground, holding his broken arm.

"Look who's shaking with fear now," Anton stated to the man. He walked over to him and grabbed hold of his shirt collar and pinned him to the ground.

"Go on, kill me," Darius spat at the chimera. Anton snarled even more as his grip tightened.

"Anton!" Kevin called out. Anton ceased his snarling and turned his head to look at him, "It's over, you've won. We can go," Kevin stated to him in a calmer tone. Anton stared at him silently for a few seconds before giving him a small nod. He released the man's shirt and walked away. Darius glared at the wolf, still breathing heavily. He then shifted his eyes and saw his gun just lying a few feet away. Quickly he scrambled to grab it. Once it was in his hand, he pointed it towards Kevin and Anton, much to their shock. Before he could shoot though, Laura rushed behind him and struck his head with her blade handle. Darius fell to the ground, unconscious.

"What an annoying prick," Laura stated as she walked over to Kevin and Anton, putting her blade away.

"He might wake up, so let's get out of here," Kevin stated. Laura nodded in agreement and the two began running towards the exit. Anton remained still, staring at the unconscious man.

"Hey Anton! Are you going to stick around here or are you coming with us?" Kevin asked him from across the room. Anton turned to see Kevin and Laura smiling at him. After some silent staring, Anton smiled back and bounded after them, following them home.

As the three left, they didn't notice a pair of greenish-blue eyes observing them. Mason was perched high above on a metal beam of the building. He had watched the scene with a calm look on his face and a cigarette in his mouth. He looked different from before though. He was wearing short black pants that only reached just above his ankles. He wore an open sleeveless vest that revealed his now scaly tan skin. The scales cover his body from his chest, to all over his arms, and feet and legs. Claws also replaced his toenails as he remained perfectly balanced on his perch. He blew out another puff of smoke and it swirled around his scaly face that also had small horns growing from his forehead. Around his neck was a leather collar with a silver round tag that bore the symbol of a dragon.

"Well this has been interesting," Mason stated aloud with smirk. He swiftly leaped from bean to bean until he finally landed on the concrete ground with ease. He stalked over to where Darius lay unconscious. He gazed down at the man as he let out another puff of smoke.

"I suppose I have to call you in now," he said to the man. he pulled out his badge to contact the base. Before he did, he gazed once more out to the exit where the other three left. He eyes narrowed as he debated on going after the wolf chimera. He remembered how he had arrived shortly before the fight ended. He was about to step in when he saw that Darius was nearly going to kill the children. However, he stopped when he saw the wolf defend the two. He could've have killed Darius easily, but he didn't. the boy told him to leave the man and come with them, and he willingly obeyed.

"_A chimera is expected to loyally obey his master's every command," _Mason stated to himself as he reached up to touch the silver tag on his neck, _"Kronos's order was to only interfere when I believe it necessary. Technically, I haven't felt the need to confront the pup," _he inquired as a smirk grew on his lips, _"I'm sure that pup will be fine."_

* * *

Gilliam was sitting on the couch with his head tilted back and his eyes closed. He looked as though he was lost in deep thought.

"If you're worried, then go after them," Vanessa suggested from the kitchen. Gilliam cracked one eye open to look at her.

"I'm not worried," he told her blatantly, "They should be back any minute."

"You sure sound confident," Vanessa said in a sarcastic matter. Gilliam merely chuckled at her. He then turned his head to the side as he heard the stairway door open and saw Laura walk into the room.

"Laura," Gilliam acknowledged her, slightly concerned upon seeing a few scratches on her face.

"Hi uncle," Laura said nervously as she rubbed the back of her neck, "Listen, can you come up to the roof? Kevin and I have something to show you," she asked. She then turned and walked quickly up the stairs to the roof. Gilliam didn't question her. He told Vanessa to stay put and followed his niece.

He finally made up to the roof and opened the door to see Kevin standing there. He looked slightly nervous and also had a few scratches on his face, like Laura. However, what shocked even more was what he saw behind the boy. The white wolf was sitting up against the chain-link fence with his head hung low. His head then perked up as he heard Gilliam step closer.

"This is wolf chimera that everyone's been hunting?" Gilliam questioned as he looked down at him with crossed arms.

"Yeah, we told him he could come with us. He doesn't have anywhere else to go," Kevin stated to Gilliam. Gilliam quickly glanced at Kevin. Kevin winced slightly under his stern gaze.

"Look sir," Anton said to the man. Gilliam returned his gaze to the wolf as he continued, "I'm sorry if I hurt your family, but I want to make it up to you guys. Please, that's all I ask. I'm done running," Anton pleaded with the man, hanging his head low again.

"Technically, I should report you back to the Plumber base. You done some horrible things that you need to atone for," Gilliam stated blatantly. Anton let out a soft whimper at his words. Kevin and Laura also wore concerned looks.

"However," Gilliam began. Anton shot his head back up to look directly at the man, "The Plumbers said they were looking for a large, white wolf, not a twelve year old boy," Gilliam finished, smirking down at the chimera. Kevin and Laura also smirked at the man's statement.

"Are you saying I can stay here?" Anton questioned in a hopeful manner and stood up.

"Only if you are willing to let your guard down and show us who you really are. Only then can you stay," Gilliam explained.

"It's been a while. I don't if I can change back," Anton said solemnly.

"I don't believe that," Gilliam said while shaking his head, "Can't you at least try?" he asked him. Anton glanced over to where Kevin. Kevin gave him a silent nod, still wearing a smirk. Anton let out a heavy sigh.

"Okay," he muttered. He let out another deep breath as he tried to concentrate. He felt his mind become calm as his animalistic instincts began to fade into more human ones.

Everyone watched in awe as Anton's body began to shrink from its bulky size. The white fur retracted into his body and his muzzle began revert to a normal human nose and jaw. His tail also disappeared. The fangs grew smaller and, though still looking slightly canine, became inconspicuous in his mouth. His claws became normal hands and feet, and his leg formed back in a more human shape. Finally, where a giant wolf was stood, now there was normal twelve year old boy. Anton skin was slightly tan and had a few scars from when he was still in his animal form. He was still wearing his torn up blue jeans and the leather collar around his neck was clearly visible with a bright silver tag hanging from it, with the Wolf paw print engraved on it. His short hair was the same pure white color that his fur previously was. Anton then opened his eyes to reveal that they were still the brilliant color of gold. Anton's breathing was slightly heavy and he looked completely exhausted. He then felt himself fall forward, only to be caught by Gilliam before he hit the ground.

"You okay?" Laura asked him with concern.

"Yeah, just tired," Anton said to her with a smile, showing off his fangs.

"Switching between your animal and human from will do that. You'll get used to it though," Gilliam said to the boy. He then turned to Laura, "Laura, go tell your aunt to make the couch ready for him to use, at least until we can get another bed. Kevin, you don't mind a roommate, do you?" Gilliam asked. Kevin shrugged.

"It's cool. As long he doesn't shed everywhere," Kevin joked.

"You're hilarious, Kev," Anton said sarcastically. Kevin walked up to him and placed one of Anton's arm around his shoulder. He then helped his new friend over to the stairwell and down to his new home.

* * *

Darius was pushed into the office of Magister Xavier. He winced slightly as he held his bandaged broken arm. Apparently, as soon as he was called back to the base, Xavier requested an immediate audience with him.

"Sit, Darius," the Magister commanded him as he sat behind his desk. Darius obeyed quickly as he sat in the chair in front of the desk. Magister Xavier looked incredibly distinguished with his striking grey hair combed nicely down and the same could be said for his goatee. His dark blue eyes glared sternly at the man in front of him.

"L…Look, I know that I don't have the chimera yet, but give me another chance. I'll get this time," Darius pleaded desperately.

"Fortunately for you, the chimera is no longer of concern. I've received intel that states that young crier is under a watchful eyes in within the city," Xavier stated to the man.

"So, what does that…"

"I'm not finished, Darius," Xavier interrupted him menacingly. Darius became silent, "There is still the matter of your failure, in this and many other assignment. I'm afraid that I cannot allow you to remain here."

"So, I'm fired," Darius stated solemnly. Xavier stared at him blankly and let out a heavy sigh.

"The previous Magisters who led this base would have normally fired you and let go out to live within this city, as a normal citizen. However, with the rioters gaining more numbers and influence in the city, I can't really risk anyone with Plumber information to pass it on to them," Xavier explained.

"I would never ally myself against the base!" Darius exclaimed angrily to the man.

"Maybe you wouldn't, but as I already stated, I can't risk it," Xavier said to him calmly. Then Darius felt a sharp pain run through his chest. Blood began to flow from his mouth and he looked down to see a combat knife that resembled a butcher blade piercing the middle of his chest. He glanced behind him and saw a dark figure looking down at him with and sinister smirk.

"It's my job to maintain peace and order in this city," Magister Xavier said to him. Darius returned his fading gaze to the Magister and noted the dark glint in his eyes, "I have to remove anything that can threaten that. It for the good of the people," Xavier finished blatantly.

"You're…insane," Darius spat at him as more blood flowed from his mouth. The figure then forcefully yanked the blade from the man and Darius fell from the chair and onto the floor. He lay there taking in his last few breath while in a growing pool of blood.

"It really is nothing personal, Darius," he heard Xavier say to him. He then let out one final breath before his world turned black.

**Phew, another really long chapter, but I'm okay with. Mainly because Anton was one of the OC's I was the most excited about. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. now I need a small break.**

**Please review**


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